Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited (NSE:CHAMBLFERT)
India flag India · Delayed Price · Currency is INR
437.05
-13.50 (-3.00%)
Apr 30, 2026, 3:30 PM IST
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Q3 24/25

Feb 6, 2025

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, good day and welcome to Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited Q3 and 9M FY25 Earnings Conference Call. As a reminder, all participant lines will be in the listen-only mode, and there will be an opportunity for you to ask questions after the presentation concludes. Should you need assistance during the conference call, please signal an operator by pressing star then zero on your touch-tone phone. Please note that this conference is being recorded. I now hand the conference over to Mr. Rishab Barar from CDR India. Thank you, and over to you, Mr. Barar.

Rishab Barar
Managing Director, CDR India

Good day, everyone, and thank you for joining us on the Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals Q3 and 9M FY25 Earnings Call. We have with us today Mr. Abhay Baijal, Managing Director. Mr. Anand Agrawal, CFO. Mr. Anuj Jain, Assistant Vice President Finance. Mr. Tridib Barat, Vice President Legal and Company Secretary. Before we get started, I would like to point out that some statements made or discussed in the conference call today may be forward-looking in nature and must be viewed in conjunction with the risks the company faces. Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals does not undertake to update them. The statement in this regard is available for reference in the presentation. We will begin this call with opening remarks from Mr. Baijal. I would now like to invite Mr. Baijal to share his views. Over to you, sir.

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Thank you, Rishab. Good day to everybody and a warm welcome to all of you participating in this call. At the outset, let me wish everyone a healthy and prosperous 2025. During the quarter, on a standalone basis, the company has achieved an EBITDA of INR 843 crore as against INR 724 crore last year. This is a growth of about 16%. The profit after tax of INR 505 crore as against INR 404 crore last year, which is also a growth of 25%. For the nine months, the company achieved an EBITDA of INR 2,619 crore as against INR 2,199 crore last year, which is a growth of about 19%, and a PAT of INR 1,557 crore as against INR 1,245 crore, showing a growth of 25% YoY.

At the consolidated levels also, the company has performed well during the quarter, registering a PAT of INR 534 crore, has again INR 459 crore last year, which is a growth of 16%. For the nine months, there was a PAT of INR 1,519 crore, has again INR 1,179 crore last year, which is showing a growth of 29%. Our urea operating units operated at optimal capacity. Production during the quarter stood at 9.18 lakh metric tons against 9.1 lakh metric tons last year, YoY. Urea sales stood at 9.88 lakh metric tons against 8.92 lakh metric tons YoY. Subsidy receipts do continue to be timely. We received INR 3,350 crore approximately in subsidies during the quarter three of financial year 2025. Of course, these numbers are there for you to see in the segment results, but I would like to highlight the performance of our crop protection chemicals and specialty nutrients.

It continues to be quite encouraging during the quarter. CPC SN revenues stood at INR 255 crore, as against INR 203 crore last year, which is a growth of almost 26% YoY, with a contribution of INR 68 crore as against INR 49 crore, which is a 39% increase. For the nine months, the revenue was INR 887 crore, as against INR 745 crore, showing a growth of 19%, and a contribution of INR 232 crore, as against INR 168 crore last year, showing a growth of 38% YoY. In the quarter under review, we introduced two new weedicides. Today, we have a CPC product portfolio that spans 13 states, 64 offerings, covering fungicides, weedicides, and insecticides. We are also working on a range of new products which have been introduced in Kharif and Rabi. Some of the products are Generation 1x, that is, products which are of the latest chemistries in collaboration with our partners.

Our strategy continues to focus on creating partnerships and alliances for introducing better chemistries and increasing the width of our offerings in our channel. I would like to highlight that we have made a strong beginning in biologicals, and they are increasingly gaining importance in the crop protection space. A biological fungicide and nematicide will be shortly introduced to address farmer pain points for nematodes and disease control, for which internal field tests have been successful. The other product lines in biologicals will gain importance as green and sustainable technologies become increasingly important. One of the highlights of the quarter was that Chambal Fertilisers and TERI, which is the Energy and Resources Institute, entered into an agreement for research to establish the CFC TERI Centre for Excellence for advanced and sustainable agricultural solutions. This is significant in the background of food security challenges between increasing populations.

The success of our Uttam Superrhiza offering and encouraging response to Uttam Pranaam Biogenic Nano Phosphorus gives us confidence in our ability to promote sustainability through bio-based agricultural solutions in India. TERI, as we know, is a pioneer institution in this area and Centre of Excellence aligns closely with the Government of India's BioE3 initiative, which aims to promote biomanufacturing industries. Under the arrangement, TERI will be doing research in the Centre of Excellence to develop new products where the IP rights will be jointly owned between CFC, TERI and Chambal. Chambal will have exclusive commercial rights globally on the products which are developed over a period of the next five years. The laboratories and equipment are more or less in position, and the work will start in earnest from March onwards.

We will also be focusing on entry into hybrid and research variety seeds for which substantially, and it will complete our agri-inputs profile. We expect to start sales and marketing of hybrid wheat, mustard, millets, etc., in the next financial year starting from Kharif FY25 onwards. In the non-urea space, our product portfolio approach continues, and I would be glad to inform you that in IMACID, our joint venture, the expansion project from 5 lakh metric tons approximately to 7 lakh metric tons has been approved by the board. As we speak, work is going on to implement that particular project, not only on the phosphoric acid expansion but also to attend to the deficit in the sulfuric acid plant. The total investment in those areas will be about $173 million, which will be completed by 2027-2028.

As far as volumes for our Farmer Connect seed-to-harvest program is now growing, we are also placing a great amount of emphasis on communication and reaching out to our stakeholders and partners. Besides our Hello Uttam support at all four locations received more than 9,000 calls and queries. This happens to be a very important program for us to assist our farmers and to get specialized knowledge across to them as to how to use products, and we are also, as part of our seed-to-harvest program, which is a key focus area at Chambal, we undertook more than 2,500 farmer meetings, conducted 3,500 demos, and analyzed 98,012 samples for macro and micronutrient analysis. The Technical Ammonium Nitrate project is progressing quite well. Statutory approvals are in place. Equipment has started to get received.

You must have seen photographs showing the extent of the civil and other construction works that have been completed. We are very confident that we will be able to start the plant in January 26. Cumulative expenditure as of December 31st has been INR 466 crore. In January 25, we have spent a further INR 75 crore, making it a total of INR 541 crore. I have spoken about IMACID, which continues to do well in terms of its current performance. As we go forward and complete the project for expansion, IMACID will be one of the largest phosphoric acid producers in the world with 7 lakh metric tons capacity and with some of the lowest capital cost per ton of capacity added. We look forward to continuing to create value. With that, we are now happy to take your questions. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. We will now begin the question and answer session. Anyone who wishes to ask a question may press star and one on your touch-tone telephone. If you wish to remove yourself from the question queue, you may press star and two. Participants are requested to use handsets while asking a question. Ladies and gentlemen, we'll wait for a moment while the question queue assembles. The first question comes from the line of Prashant Biyani with Elara Securities. Please go ahead.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

Yeah, thank you for the opportunity. Sir, congrats on a good set of results. Sir, regarding our trading business, how much of the additional INR 3,500 per ton of DAP subsidy have we booked in Q3?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Not completely. I'm told roughly 80%-85%.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

Okay. Sir, seeing your EBITDA per ton for traded fertilizer, it does not look like we are making money on DAP. Would that assessment be right?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

DAP is a very zero-sum game at the moment, and we haven't done too much of DAP. I think the total sales in the quarter was about 1 lakh tons, plus or minus.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

That is only to have the portfolio approach rather than anything else?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

See, we are traders. Rather, we are importers and sellers. We don't have a cost structure on the stock. We have to see what we can do in terms of the total portfolio approach, and we have done what we felt was necessary to keep the channel lubricated.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

Okay. Sir, I missed your opening remarks on IMACID capacity expansion. There were some patchy voices. Can you please repeat it?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

I am just saying that we have, the board there has approved the expansion from 5 lakh metric tons to 7 lakh metric tons.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

And some.

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

There are two parts to it: the phosphoric acid plant and the sulfuric acid plant, which is a concomitant facility which is needed to support the production. In the phase I , the phosphoric acid plant will go into production, maybe by end 2026 or maybe early 2027. The other part, which is the sulfuric acid plant, we study for narrowing down the cost is still on, but we are quite hopeful that that will also be done. Taken together, the total cost of the expansion is about $173 million.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

$173 million?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

$173 million.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

Okay. And sir, what led us to configure some changes in the TAN plant? And these changes are the things which are causing the delay or something else?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

No, no. These changes are necessary to get operating efficiency when you do warm ammonia. Otherwise, just to give you a small understanding of this, you first, if you have to store back the ammonia, you have to basically chill it. Instead of that, if you were to directly pump the ammonia into the system, whatever is being produced online, then you save energy in that. That's a very simple process that has to be done. Second part is that looking to the fact that LDAN, that is, low-density ammonium nitrate, is going to play an important role going into the future, we have to make provisions in terms of layouts and other such things. So that engineering took about one, one and a half months or so. It does not materially matter.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

Right. Sure. I'll come back in the queue. I have a few more questions.

Operator

Thank you. Next question comes from the line of Jainam Ghelani with Svan Investments. Please go ahead.

Jainam Ghelani
Senior Research Analyst, Svan Investments

Hi sir. Thanks for this opportunity and congratulations for a good set of numbers. So I have a few questions about TAN. So currently, what could be the domestic demand for TAN and how much of it is being imported?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

My understanding is that domestic production, all told, is close to a million tons. Imports could be varying between 200,000-400,000 tons, depending on what positioning happens. That is how it is. There is increasingly demand in terms of infrastructure development, in terms of mining, in terms of border roads, in terms of cement production, and so on. So all of that is contributing to the growth. And government's CapEx investments is one part of it because it's mostly infrastructure-related. It is casting its pressure on the demand. So that's how it is. The growth is, I'm told, close to the 6% CAGR.

Jainam Ghelani
Senior Research Analyst, Svan Investments

Okay, so sir, we are expanding into TAN, and our competitor is also expanding into TAN, so do we see an oversupply situation in the near term?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

It could be going forward in the next two, three years because other capacities are also coming, assuming that they do come. But it will still be a stable market in terms of it is not going to be very long in the sense that there is not too much of overcapacity. But it also depends on what plant and what cost structure. So I think that's where Chambal will score.

Jainam Ghelani
Senior Research Analyst, Svan Investments

Okay. And, sir, what could be the EBITDA per ton we can expect in this project?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

You will have to wait. We will reveal that when the time comes.

Jainam Ghelani
Senior Research Analyst, Svan Investments

Okay. And sir, would we be backward integrating into ammonia too for this project?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

In terms of planning projects, and we have a certain payback number of years in our mind when we do the project. And we are confident that we will achieve it.

Jainam Ghelani
Senior Research Analyst, Svan Investments

Okay, so that's it from my side. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. A reminder to all the participants that you may press star and one to ask a question. Next question comes from the line of Harmish Desai with Phillip Capital. Please go ahead.

Harmish Desai
AVP of Equity Research, Phillip Capital

Good evening, and thank you for taking my question. So my first question is on the IMACID expansion. So how much CapEx do we expect to incur in this expansion?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

I think I told you $173 million.

Harmish Desai
AVP of Equity Research, Phillip Capital

Okay. I'm sorry. I must have missed out. Sorry for that. Sir, what is our total CapEx that we have incurred in nine months apart from the TAN CapEx?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

I will ask Mr. Anand Agrawal to answer this question.

Anand Agarwal
CFO, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Hi, Harmish.

Harmish Desai
AVP of Equity Research, Phillip Capital

Hi, sir.

Anand Agarwal
CFO, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Current year, we have actually invested around INR 357 crore of CapEx total, out of which TAN is around INR 250 crore.

Harmish Desai
AVP of Equity Research, Phillip Capital

Understood. Understood. Sir, yeah. And sir, in TAN, so now we have shifted the date to January. So how much time will it take for us to ramp up the project? And any expectation of contribution from the TAN business in FY27?

Anand Agarwal
CFO, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Yeah, 27, we will definitely have. Current year, we are not being too aggressive on our number, but obviously, we want to ramp it up in the same month as such. So it will get ramped up very soon.

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Yeah, just make this point that the date of that in January 2026 is the date of commercial production delivery. That means it meets all parameters in terms of capacity, in terms of efficiency, in terms of quality.

Harmish Desai
AVP of Equity Research, Phillip Capital

Understood.

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

That is valid from January 26.

Harmish Desai
AVP of Equity Research, Phillip Capital

Got it, sir. Got it. Yeah. And sir, you mentioned in your presentation that we have achieved our energy efficiency has increased by 3%. So how much does it translate in terms of increase in EBITDA?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

See, I'll just give you this is a rough computation. 3% saving on some INR 5,000 per Gcal.

Harmish Desai
AVP of Equity Research, Phillip Capital

Okay. Got it. And sir, if you can just help us with the volume numbers for Gadepan I, II, and III?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

That, I will ask Mr. Jain

Anuj Jain
AVP of Finance, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

for Gadepan I. In the quarter, we had production of 2.96 lakh tonnes, and Gadepan II, 2.67, and Gadepan III, 3.55. So total put together, we had production of 9.18 lakh tonnes.

Harmish Desai
AVP of Equity Research, Phillip Capital

Sir, the gas cost for Q3?

Anuj Jain
AVP of Finance, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Gas cost for Q3 is about $15.85 per MMBTU on LCV data.

Harmish Desai
AVP of Equity Research, Phillip Capital

Understood, sir. Thank you. I'll come back in queue. Thank you so much.

Operator

Thank you. A reminder to all the participants that you may press star and one to ask a question. Next question comes from the line of Prashant Biyani with Elara Securities. Please go ahead.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

Sir, what would be the mode of our share of IMACID investment?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

We won't have to invest. They have got enough cash.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

Okay. So dividend receipt and all those things will continue as they are continuing?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Dividend will go up and down. We may take dividend and then reinvest back into them. That's up to us what we want to do. That's a technical decision from time to time. Let me also tell you that the Chambal is quite serious in looking at ensuring phosphate supply or securing phosphate supply chains in phosphate-rich countries. There are discussions on. We will inform you from time to time as to what we are or what our progress on that matter is.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

Right. Sir, what kind of urea volume run rate can we have in Q4? Last year, Q4, there was some lower number for some reason.

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

You see, what happens in the last quarter is that we go under what we call the annual turnarounds. Last year, we had two, Gadepan I and II. This year, we have only one, Gadepan III. So I would only hazard a guess. Assuming that the plants run full capacity, we will, if you minus the amount of INR 3,500 per 3,900 tons per day for Gadepan III for about 30 days, that's the kind of minus that you will get. But there are one or two niggly problems. Gadepan I and II are very short shutdowns, which will take them too. So I would guess between one to one and a half like that.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

One to one and a half, yeah.

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

From the normal run rate.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

Right, and sir, you told this year G3 will go under shutdown, if I heard it right?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Yes.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

Okay. And sir, how much is the net debt at the end of Q3 or net cash?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Cash is high. Cash is high, I think, to the tune of INR 2,500.

Anand Agarwal
CFO, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Yeah, INR 3,000.

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

INR 3,000. Sorry, to INR 3,000.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

Okay. Sir, within CPC and SN, what could be the breakup of CPC and SN revenue on annualized basis?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

I think it is, if I'm not wrong, either 65%, 35%, or 70%, depending on which quarter we sell what.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

Okay. Sir, again, recurring question. After the expiration of G3 benefits, first of all, we don't know how much the benefits will reduce by, but any further plans or decisions if we have taken on how are we going to compensate that through any of the growth projects? You also mentioned about securing the phosphate supply for India. So when can we hear something on that?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Very soon, but it depends on negotiations.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

Outer timeline of this?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

I can't say that. That's very difficult to say because when you are dealing with foreign partners, where it ends, how it ends, one doesn't know. But we are quite on the way to discuss that. And there is active interest on both sides. That's my question.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

This could lead to some investments in India or internationally?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

It will lead to international investments.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

We will secure the supply chain till the end, or?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

It depends. See, this is not only for India. It's a global business.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

Right, so would there be a role of government as well in this?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

I don't think so.

Prashant Biyani
VP of Institutional Equity Research, Elara Securities

Okay. That's it from my side. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. A reminder to all the participants that you may press star and one to ask a question. Next question comes from the line of Dhruv Muchhal with HDFC AMC. Please go ahead.

Dhruv Muchhal
Equity Research Analyst, HDFC AMC

Yes, sir. Thank you. Sir, just on Prashant's earlier question. So the IMACID, you mentioned it's for global supply, or we can think of this as downstream for the NPKs that you may put in, or just for largely global supply?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

We already manufacture 5 lakh tons in the market. 70%-75% of that material comes to India. Balance 20%-25%, 30%, depending on supply circumstances, is transferred to OCP sometimes, which they use for their global supply. In this additional 2 lakh metric tons, we have to see how we can find the markets to absorb these quantities, either in India or abroad. But given the fact that, as I told you, this is the least capital cost project, or rather in the totality of the 7 lakh tons, one of the least capital cost projects, most efficient also. We have a very good price advantage in terms of how we the fixed cost that is loaded onto of course, the other costs in terms of the cost of rock and so on, these are very low costs.

Fixed cost-wise, it is also one of the most efficient ones. So that gives us some advantage. And how we parlay that in terms of the world supply, that is a question of marketing between the partners, how we will go about it. If the Indian market is ready to pay the necessary prices, it should rightly be sent to India.

Dhruv Muchhal
Equity Research Analyst, HDFC AMC

Sorry, sorry for my lack of background on this. So whatever IMACID expansion or sales, the marketing right for that is with Chambal, or the responsibility is with Chambal, is it?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

It is between the partners, but OCP is the lead in that.

Okay. Got it. Perfect.

Market of what is to be, and then there are somewhere long-term supply agreements or agreements with Indians. So that continues. But if there are anything excess of that, it can get transferred to world supply.

Dhruv Muchhal
Equity Research Analyst, HDFC AMC

Sir, the other thing was just on the cost, probably not as relevant for you, but because that goes in the JV. But you mentioned 175, around $173 million, which is about, say, at the rate of 83, is about INR 1,400 crore. Sir, some of our peers domestically are expanding IMACID at phosphoric acid at about of a similar capacity, incremental in sense, at about INR 200-300 crore. So the additional amount is because of the sulfuric acid, is it?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Correct.

Dhruv Muchhal
Equity Research Analyst, HDFC AMC

Okay. Got it. And sir, the other thing was on the energy efficiency gains. So in your presentation, you mentioned 3% improvement in energy efficiency and 125 metric tons per day of incremental production. So sorry, again, a simple understanding lacking is, does both of that flow into our EBITDA, or something has to be shared with the government? I mean, in terms of our maths to understand what is incremental EBITDA gain, 3% of energy cost and 125 metric tons of incremental production, both add to the EBITDA. Is that the right way?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Yes, they add to the EBITDA, but you made an important point as to whether some gain sharing takes place. Yes, there is a gain sharing formula, and on the additional production that we do, it goes beyond the RAC, and as you know, there are two parts to the compensation to the plant. One is up to RAC, and one is beyond RAC. While the energy efficiency works on the entire production, the additional production works on the RAC, beyond RAC, so depending on how the other things, factors play out in terms of the price of a bag of urea and the dollar and so on and so forth, that would vary.

But so far, as we are continuing to improve on efficiency, and that's one of our target and target strategy in sense, we will continue to improve regardless because we want to be prepared for a day when this may get decontrol, and we should be in terms of cost structure on the finest cost structures all over the world. So in that sense, this is a priority project for us. There's not only this, but going forward, we have planned up three or four other projects, and we will see if this happens episodically because we first establish a base, and then we again see from that base how much we are going to do. So this is a continuous kind of process, but it takes place every two, two and a half years on the basis of what studies we have to do.

But coming back to your question, better positive, yes. And to what extent? That is a question of how the circumstances play out insofar as gas cost, dollar, what is the cost of the Gcal, and so on. So to that extent, some of the factors are not under control, but what we really want to do is to keep pushing the barriers and the envelope down and down and down. That's what we want to do.

Dhruv Muchhal
Equity Research Analyst, HDFC AMC

Sir, if I understand, so as per the mechanism, 3% of the saving, the energy efficiency saving 3% that you mentioned, that is direct, that flows completely to you. There is no ambiguity. The 125, whatever incremental production, that depends upon market forces, multiple variables as it happens.

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

I just think that the energy gain is some amount of gain sharing with you. But since this is a consistent policy for every ton for ton or every Gcal for Gcal, you will get a certain amount of compensation.

Dhruv Muchhal
Equity Research Analyst, HDFC AMC

Got it. And sir, last question, if you can share, what would be the ammonia profit this quarter and for nine months? Surplus ammonia?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

The profit this year has been a little soft. Even Stevens, I would say, we have done, I think, about 80-81 thousand tons of sales, 80,000 tons of sales. I think reasonable four-digit profit surely.

Dhruv Muchhal
Equity Research Analyst, HDFC AMC

Okay. Okay. Perfect. Great. Thank you so much, and all the best. Thanks.

Operator

Thank you. A reminder to all the participants that you may press star and one to ask a question. Next question comes from the line of Harmish Desai with Phillip Capital. Please go ahead.

Harmish Desai
AVP of Equity Research, Phillip Capital

Thank you for taking my question again. So my question is on seeds. You mentioned that the new focus here is going to be seeds going ahead. So any update on that?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

I just mentioned that we have tied up, and in terms of beef hybrid wheat, in terms of millet, in terms of maize, in terms of mustard.

Harmish Desai
AVP of Equity Research, Phillip Capital

Understood, and sir, the increase in NPK volume, now that there's not much change in subsidy, so sir, what has led to this increase in Q3, and do you expect this run rate to continue in Q4 as well?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Q4 normally is not a quarter for sales of NPK. The sales will start basically from first quarter of next year, which is when the Kharif really kicks in. Whatever sales we do, a little bit of MOP and all that, there's small, small places where small, small demands come in on some traditional crops or sometimes mentha, etc., and so on. So it's not really a quarter where we will do sales. But coming back to what you said about NPK, let me show you that we have tied up some quantities for the Kharif in the NPK side, and we are adequately stocked for.

Harmish Desai
AVP of Equity Research, Phillip Capital

Understood, and sir, my last question is on LDAN, which, you know, the delay in the TAN project has become. You guys are trying to accomplish the LDAN equipment, so earlier, the plan was to just introduce HDAN, so going ahead, it is going to be HDAN and LDAN both once the TAN project is commissioned.

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Let me just clarify to you. We have made a provision to install LDAN equipment alongside the original configuration. Because if we had not done that, then we would have to take a very long shutdown sometime in the future or to shut the plant for four months, six months, 10 months in order to incorporate those things. Because therefore, we had to intervene. It's like this that if you want to build a four-bedroom house, you have laid the foundation for three rooms. The fourth room will be added as and when necessary. So to create that position, we have to change equipment orientation and do some re-engineering of those. I hope I made myself clear.

Harmish Desai
AVP of Equity Research, Phillip Capital

Yes. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. So that is all from my side, sir. Thank you for taking my question.

Operator

Thank you. A reminder to all the participants that you may press star and one to ask a question. Next question comes from the line of S. Ramesh with Nirmal Bang. Please go ahead.

Ramesh Sankaranarayanan
Research Analyst, Nirmal Bang

Thank you and good evening and congratulations on your good results, so if you look at the crop production business, in your expansion up to INR 7,750 crore by 2027, the delta in terms of the contribution is declining as a percentage, so is that something you are making on a conservative basis, or is there a reason in terms of your product mix and your rating on the market? How should we see that?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

I think this is a question of representation, whether we are presenting it in terms of gross or net. I think I'll ask Anand to explain what is happening. Because what's really the projection that was given was, I think, on the business gross sales. And what we are reporting in the segment is on the basis of net sales, which is after trade discounts and all that. That's where the difference is.

Ramesh Sankaranarayanan
Research Analyst, Nirmal Bang

Yeah. But in slide six, if you see between see, if you look at revenue and contribution for FY 24, the percentage margin is more than 25%. And if you see the target revenue for 27, INR 1,750, and the contribution target of INR 310 crore, the percentage margin is declining. And if you take the delta.

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

In that 1,750 number, you deflate it by about 20, 20%, you will come to the number you're talking about.

Ramesh Sankaranarayanan
Research Analyst, Nirmal Bang

Okay. Okay. You're saying that there's a difference in terms of the revenue reporting. Okay. Fine. So.

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Gross basis or net basis, when I just explained to you that when we are doing it in the segment results, it is on net basis.

Ramesh Sankaranarayanan
Research Analyst, Nirmal Bang

So.

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

For the sake of consistency and not to make a variation, they decided to keep sticking to the gross.

Anand Agarwal
CFO, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

The earlier number which we had told, however, that was a gross number. And what we have to put up in our accounts is a net number. And that is the difference. So it will be somewhere around 20-22%.

Ramesh Sankaranarayanan
Research Analyst, Nirmal Bang

So are you saying the FY 24 number has to be deflated, or the 1,750 has to be deflated?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

The projected number.

Anand Agarwal
CFO, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

The projected number has to come down.

Ramesh Sankaranarayanan
Research Analyst, Nirmal Bang

Okay. Fair enough. So if you look at your overall strategy for the crop production business, how are you reading the current pricing environment and the demand growth? And in terms of the top-line growth for next year, what will be the kind of percentage volume growth you can get? And to the extent that there could be some continued pressure on pricing, what will be the revenue growth on a given volume growth?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

It continued to grow at the rates that we have been going. In fact, try to better it. That's my brief to the team. Therefore, if you recall in my opening statement that we said that we are now starting to get Gen 1X molecules, and we are creating strong alliances with companies which have got research basis, and therefore, we are introducing those new products and therefore expanding the portfolio with at least three to four new products that we have, so that is what our strategy is, and that will give us the growth. Plus, as we widen the channel, as we take more wallet share in the channel, the growth will come from there, so we feel that we will continue to grow in the same way.

Ramesh Sankaranarayanan
Research Analyst, Nirmal Bang

Yeah. So if you look at the nine-month revenue growth, 19%, Q3 growth is 26%. Can we get the break-up in terms of how much of this is volume growth? Because the reason why I'm asking is on this basis, if you look at certain volume growth, if there is some price decline, the top-line growth might look lower. So on this, if you can give us the volume growth out of this third quarter and nine months revenue growth, that will be helpful.

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

I think you can discuss this offline with Anand. We will give you how much was volume and how much was price that you can discuss with Anand.

Ramesh Sankaranarayanan
Research Analyst, Nirmal Bang

Okay. Fair enough. So in the TAN project, if I may ask, if you look at the long-run economics of that business, what is the utilization you require to get to your threshold IRR of around, say, 14%-15% that you may expect in that?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

See, Chambal believes in running its plant 100% plus. First of all, that is what it is. As far as the IRR is computed, it is computed on a conservative basis. And I would say that they have got a certain break-even number. I won't tell you what the break-even is, but we will be operating even at 80%-85%.

Ramesh Sankaranarayanan
Research Analyst, Nirmal Bang

Okay, so finally, in terms of the thoughts on capital allocation, you're going to get incremental cash even after the TAN project is executed, and given your portfolio in terms of a subsidized business, your trading business, which perhaps is a little bit more vulnerable to the global prices, and the crop protection business, it seems to have its own legs, so incrementally, in terms of your focus, where will you allocate this capital once the TAN project is completed?

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

I think I just made a mention of global phosphate supply chain somewhere. I think that will be one of the breakthroughs that if I could or the company could do during this time, that will create a very strong base for Chambal to be a global phosphate player. And that is one area we're definitely looking into. Seeds is another area we are looking into where we will start with the reintroduction of Chambal back into market and then take it forward from there and add value one way or the other going forward. So those are things that, and as I said, biologicals is one of the very key areas that we are working in. And we believe that we will be creating a very strong pipeline of products for the TERI Research.

There is a very systematic program being run there with targeted products which will come out in 2026, 2027, 2027, 2028, 2028. And there is a very large ambition out there to go up to almost INR 3,400 crore of biological sales. And those will be increasingly important elements in what we are doing. And as far as specialty nutrients are concerned, we will be creating some very specific rates and all that. So those things are being cooked as we speak. And we will definitely keep adding to the portfolio these days.

Ramesh Sankaranarayanan
Research Analyst, Nirmal Bang

Okay. Fair enough. Thanks a lot, and wish you all the best.

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. A reminder to all the participants that you may press star and one to ask a question. Once again, a reminder to all the participants that you may press star and one to ask a question. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, as there are no further questions, we have reached the end of question and answer session. I would now like to hand the conference over to the management for closing comments.

Abhay Baijal
Managing Director, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals

So, thank you very much, gentlemen and ladies, for your patience hearing to our conference call. We hope to be doing continuing to do well and continue to serve the investor community. Thank you very much once again for this participation.

Operator

Thank you. On behalf of Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited, that concludes this conference. Thank you for joining us. You may now disconnect your lines.

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