March 18, 2026
MANILA – The Philippine government, through the Department of Agriculture (DA), is negotiating with China to secure fertilizer imports, as global fuel-based fertilizer supplies tighten amid the conflict in the Middle East.
During the House committee on agriculture and food hearing on Tuesday, Agriculture Undersecretary Roger Navarro revealed that the agency’s chief, Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., is in talks with the Asian Superpower.
READ: How will the Middle East conflict affect economies in Asia, the Pacific?
“As we speak now, the Secretary is talking to the Ambassador of China. Because China has been closed since August last year for exports. And China has 285 days of fertilizer inventory. So, we forwarded a request for China to reopen exports to help stabilize local supply,” Navarro, speaking mostly in Filipino, told lawmakers.
Navarro explained that urea, a nitrogen-based fertilizer critical for crop production, is fuel-dependent and therefore affected by high fuel costs and supply issues. By contrast, other fertilizers, such as NPK (Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium), are mined and less affected by the current energy crisis.
“[W]e need to diversify our source of international fertilizer, especially in what we call urea or nitrogen,” he said.
In the same hearing, DA-Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority Executive Director Glenn Estrada disclosed that the country sources nitrogen-based fertilizers from various countries: 18 percent from Brunei, 18 percent from China, 24 percent from Indonesia, 4 percent from Saudi Arabia, 15 percent from Malaysia, 15 percent from Qatar, and 6 percent from Vietnam.
He noted that the ongoing conflict specifically affected fertilizer supplies in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, amounting to 108,000 and 33,000 metric tons, respectively.
Apart from this, Navarro disclosed that the DA is also pursuing sustainable alternatives, including organic fertilizers, regenerative farming, and smart-farming technology.