China tightens fertilizer exports, adding pressure to already constrained global supply
China’s tighter fertilizer export controls are amplifying global supply stress and price risks for crop input markets.
China has tightened fertilizer export controls to protect domestic supply, adding new strain to a global market already disrupted by conflict-linked logistics risks. In the Reuters report carried by The Jakarta Post, industry sources said Beijing moved in mid-March to ban exports of certain nitrogen-potassium blends and some phosphate products.
Combined with existing urea quotas and other limits, Reuters estimates that between half and three quarters of China’s prior export volume could now be restricted, potentially up to 40 million metric tons. With only a narrower set of products still moving, importers have less room to rebalance procurement quickly.
The timing is significant because seaborne fertilizer flows were already under pressure. The article notes that roughly one third of seaborne supply routes through Hormuz-linked channels that have faced disruption. Buyers had hoped China might fill part of the gap, but tighter controls now point to a more constrained balance.
Price signals are already visible. Reuters cited international urea prices up around 40% versus pre-war levels, while Chinese urea futures were near ten-month highs. For growers, that translates into more expensive nutrient programs and potentially lower application rates or changes in crop plans.
Dependence on Chinese supply remains material for many importers. The report says China provided roughly one fifth of fertilizer imports for Brazil, Indonesia, and Thailand last year, around one third for Malaysia and New Zealand, and about 16% for India based on India’s trade data. India has reportedly requested urea export quotas from China.
Market participants at a Shanghai fertilizer conference, also cited by Reuters, said they do not expect restrictions to be lifted before August. If that outlook holds, crop input markets may enter peak agricultural demand periods with elevated volatility, tighter availability, and continued upward pressure on farm production costs.