印度是世界主要尿素进口国之一，上月在一项招标中仅能获得其所求作物养分的不到25%，表明中东冲突持续推高农业投入品成本。
India, one of the world’s top urea importers, was able to secure less than 25% of the crop nutrient it sought in a tender last month, indicating that hostilities in the Middle East continue to keep farm input costs elevated.
印度钾肥有限公司也为政府进口尿素，据直接了解情况的交易商透露，其在最新进口招标中仅能采购41万吨，而其原计划采购量为170万吨。
Indian Potash Ltd., which also imports urea for the government, could buy only 410,000 tons in its latest import tender, compared with 1.7 million tons it sought, according to traders with direct knowledge of the matter.
知情人士表示，只有东海岸和西海岸的最低出价者同意供应其报量，其他供应商则拒绝匹配这些价格，这些价格远低于当前市场水平。知情人士要求不具名讨论敏感商业信息。
Only the lowest bidders for the east and west coasts agreed to supply the volumes they offered, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing sensitive commercial information. The other suppliers declined to match those prices, which were much lower than current market levels, the people added.
印度的尿素采购被视为其他进口商的价格基准。由于伊朗战争扰乱了关键中东供应，4月该国曾为该养分支付高达每吨959美元，推高成本。此后，随着供应限制缓解和全球需求疲软，价格已大幅回落。在去年8月的最后一次招标中，这个南亚国家以每吨390.25至393.65美元的价格购买了这种氮基养分。
India’s urea purchases are closely watched as a price benchmark for other importers. The country paid as much as $959 a ton for the nutrient in April as the Iran war disrupted key Middle Eastern supplies, driving up costs. Prices have since plunged as supply constraints eased and global demand weakened. In its last tender in August, the South Asian nation bought the nitrogen-based nutrient at $390.25 to $393.65 a ton.
知情人士称，本月早些时候截止的最新招标中，印度钾肥获得分别送往西海岸的报价区间为每吨356.25至416.50美元；送往东海岸的报价区间为每吨352.10至465美元。
For the latest tender, that closed earlier this month, Indian Potash got offers ranging between $356.25 and $416.50 a ton for deliveries to the west coast, the people said. Offers for supplies to the east coast ranged between $352.10 and $465 a ton, they added.
两地区合计报价总量超过该机构所求量的两倍多。肥料部发言人未能立即回复在非办公时间发送的电子邮件。
For both regions, the total volume offered was more than double the amount the agency was seeking. A fertilizer ministry spokesperson didn’t immediately reply to an email sent outside of office hours.
此事发生之际，全球农民也正面临其他成本压力，包括柴油价格上涨。在印度，冬季种植季刚刚开始，此时会播种小麦、油菜和鹰嘴豆等作物，从而提升对尿素的需求。高昂的尿素价格也可能加重政府肥料补贴账单的压力。
The development comes as farmers across the world are also facing other cost pressures, including pricier diesel. In India, the winter planting season has just begun, when crops like wheat, rapeseed and chickpeas are sown, boosting demand for urea. Expensive urea could also pile pressure on the government’s fertilizer subsidy bill.