Middle East conflict affects fertilizer supply, and the Philippine government turns its attention to China's fertilizer trade.
Due to the tightening of global fuel-based fertilizer supply caused by the Middle East conflict, the Philippine government is negotiating with China through the Department of Agriculture to ensure fertilizer imports.
At a hearing of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food on Tuesday, Undersecretary of Agriculture Roger Navarro revealed that the head of the agency, Francisco Tiu Laurel, is currently negotiating with the Asian superpower.
"At the moment we are speaking, the minister is talking with the Chinese ambassador. Because since August last year, China has been closing the export channels. And the Philippines' fertilizer stock is only enough for 285 days. So we have made a request to China to reopen exports to help stabilize local supply," Navarro told the lawmakers.
Navarro explained that urea, a nitrogen fertilizer essential for crop production, depends on fuel for production and thus is affected by high oil prices and supply issues. In contrast, other fertilizers, such as NPK compound fertilizers, rely on mineral mining and are less affected by the current energy crisis.
At the same hearing, Glenn Estrada, Executive Director of the Bureau of Fertilizers and Pesticides of the Department of Agriculture, revealed that the country purchases nitrogen fertilizer from various countries: 18% from Brunei, 18% from China, 24% from Indonesia, 4% from Saudi Arabia, 15% from Malaysia, 15% from Qatar, and 6% from Vietnam.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1859908476012547/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.