Hanoi (VNA) - The Philippine Government, through the Department of Agriculture (DA), is negotiating with China to secure fertiliser imports, as global fuel-based fertiliser supplies tighten amid the conflict in the Middle East.
At the House committee on agriculture and food hearing on March 17, Undersecretary of Agriculture Roger Navarro revealed that the agency’s chief, Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., is in talks with Chinese partners in order to help stabilise local supply.
According to the official, China has restricted fertiliser exports since August last year but is reported to hold stockpiles equivalent to about 285 days of supply. Manila has urged Beijing to resume exports to help stabilise local availability.
Navarro explained that urea, a nitrogen-based fertiliser critical for crop production, is fuel-dependent and therefore affected by high fuel costs and supply issues. By contrast, other fertilisers, such as NPK, are mined and less affected by the current energy crisis.
In the same hearing, DA-Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority Executive Director Glenn Estrada disclosed that the country sources nitrogen-based fertilisers 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.
Apart from this, Navarro disclosed that the Department of Agriculture is also pursuing sustainable alternatives, including organic fertilisers, regenerative farming, and smart-farming technology./.
