Manila says China has said it will not restrict fertilizer exports to the Philippines

MANILA — China has assured the Philippines it will not restrict fertilizer exports to the country, although the war in the Middle East is a risk to global supplies, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said on Wednesday.

He told reporters the Philippines is also in talks with India and Russia, and is planning discussions with Belarus regarding fertilizer supply.

Mr. Tiu Laurel said the Philippines, which imports most of its fertilizer requirements, had already secured 84% of its needs for this year, but the war in Iran has created uncertainty about whether contracted volumes will be delivered amid hits to supply and rising global prices.

The war has shut down fertilizer plants in the Middle East and severely disrupted shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, which could affect global supplies. The strait is a conduit for about one-third of global trade in fertilizer as well as 20% of oil shipments.

Bureau of Customs data shows the Philippines imported 7.1 million metric tons of fertilizers from 2021 to 2023, mainly from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Canada, and South Korea. Nitrogenous fertilizers made up 63% of imports.

Mr. Tiu Laurel said Beijing’s assurance came during his meeting with the Chinese ambassador on Tuesday. Energy Secretary Sharon Garin met with the envoy on the same day to discuss bilateral energy cooperation, according to a Facebook post by the Chinese Embassy in Manila.

China, the world’s top oil importer, last week banned fuel exports until at least the end of March, in an attempt to pre-empt domestic shortages.

Ms. Garin this week said the Philippines would not be affected by that ban because it covered new contracts and the country’s deals with Chinese suppliers would remain in force. — Reuters