The Chinese government has assured the Philippines that it will maintain its fertilizer exports despite ongoing increases in global oil prices, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel said Wednesday.
Tiu-Laurel reported that Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan has denied claims that Beijing plans to stop fertilizer shipments amid concerns that global oil supply disruptions—linked to the US-Israel and Iran tensions—could affect trade.
“Kinonfirm naman ng Chinese ambassador na hindi totoo yun, na hindi nila iipitin yung fertilizer, which is good news,” the secretary said in an interview.
He added that the issue is now centered on pricing rather than availability. “It is not a matter of supply, it is a matter of price na lang,” he explained.
The Philippines has already secured about “84 percent of our fertilizer needs for this year,” according to the agriculture chief. However, the industry remains cautious about possible delays in scheduled deliveries.
“Mayroon pa tayong nationwide fertilizer stocks until May. Tuloy-tuloy naman ang orders, wala namang bansa na naghihinto ng pagbebenta sa atin,” Tiu-Laurel said. “Kaya lang sa tumataas na sitwasyon, hindi natin alam kung yung mga naka kontrata kung idedeliver ba nila yan,” he added.
To strengthen supply stability, the government is engaging additional fertilizer-producing countries, including India, Russia, and Belarus. The Department of Agriculture is also exploring “alternative technologies like liquid fertilizers and nanotech” to help mitigate potential supply pressures.
Furthermore, the DA plans to send a “study mission to China to see the alternative ways” in fertilizer production and application.
The developments come as fertilizer prices have doubled—from $400 to $800 per ton—following air strikes in the Middle East that disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route responsible for about 20 percent of the world’s oil supply.
