China Imposes Export Ban on Fertilizers, Adding Pressure to Global Supply

March 20, Kathmandu — Industry sources have informed that China is cutting back on agricultural fertilizer exports to protect its domestic market. This action comes as the global fertilizer market, already strained by the ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran, faces additional pressure.

In mid-March, Beijing imposed an export ban on a mixture of nitrogen-potassium fertilizers and certain types of phosphate fertilizers, sources told Reuters.

According to the news agency, besides existing restrictions and export quotas on urea, now only limited fertilizers, particularly ammonium sulfate, will be allowed for export from China. This means that between half to three-quarters of the total fertilizer volume exported by China last year is now restricted. Reuters estimates this amount could be as high as 40 million metric tons.

China is among the world’s largest fertilizer exporters, having shipped fertilizer worth over $13 billion last year.

This export ban was announced at a time when fertilizer shipments through the Strait of Hormuz—a critical maritime route accounting for about one-third of sea-based supplies—have been halted.

Matthew Bigen, a senior commodities analyst at BMI, told Reuters, “China always follows the pattern of restricting supplies when global shortages worsen and it feels compelled to prioritize its domestic needs rather than helping the market.”

Bigen added, “They are prioritizing food security and safeguarding their domestic market from price inflation.”