Metro Manila, Philippines – China will not freeze its fertilizer exports to the Philippines, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said on Wednesday, March 18, as Manila continues to engage with a number of nations to secure supply of the commodity amid the Middle East conflict.
Tiu Laurel said Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan clarified that reports of China restricting fertilizer exports were false during their meeting on Tuesday.
“Ang usapan namin ni China, magtulungan at open sila,” he said in a chance interview.
[Translation: Our discussion with China is to help each other and they are open with us.]
“We might send a study mission to China to see their alternative ways and techniques nila na hindi masyado gumagamit ng fuel-based fertilizers. Willing sila turuan tayo,” he said.
[Translation: We might send a study mission to China to see their alternative ways and techniques of not using fuel-based fertilizers. They are willing to teach us.]
Tiu Laurel also said that he talked with India and Russia, and is eyeing an engagement with Belarus as fertilizer sources.
The Middle East is a key producer of fertilizer. Around one-third of global trade of the critical farm input passes through the Strait of Hormuz, which has largely been closed since the conflict began.
In a congressional hearing on Tuesday, agriculture officials also said around 18 percent of fertilizer come from China. Other sources are Qatar (15 percent) and Saudi Arabia (4 percent).
The agriculture chief said he formed a team to monitor the fertilizer situation.
He said the country bought around 84 percent of fertilizer requirements this year.
“Kaya lang sa tumataas na sitwasyon, hindi natin alam kung ‘yong mga nakakontrata kung idi-deliver ba nila yan,” he said.
[Translation: But with the heightened situation, we are not sure if contracted volumes will be delivered.]
Tiu Laurel said alternatives such as liquid fertilizers, nano-tech, and bio-fertilizers will be deployed to augment local supply.
He said nationwide fertilizer stocks will run until May.
“Mukhang tuloy-tuloy naman ang orders. Wala namang bansa na naghihinto ng benta ng fertilizer sa atin,” he said.
[Translation: It looks like orders are continuing. No countries are stopping their sale of fertilizer to us.]
