Bangkok: "Suriya" is preparing for an urgent flight to Russia to negotiate increased fertilizer imports, as current stocks only last until May. The Minister of Agriculture confirmed plans to travel to Russia during the Songkran festival to negotiate alternative sources of fertilizer imports to mitigate the risk of shortages and rising prices amid the uncertain conflict situation in the Middle East. Meanwhile, the latest data from the Department of Agriculture indicates that domestic urea reserves are approximately 900,000 tons, sufficient until the beginning of the main rice-growing season in May. However, to ensure sufficient reserves for the entire growing season, an additional 1 million tons will need to be imported.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Suriya Jungrungreangkit, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, stated that the chemical fertilizer situation is at risk of becoming tight due to transportation problems in the Middle East. Three fertilizer-carrying ships belonging to Chia Tai Co., Ltd., with a total weight of approximately 250,000 tons, are stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, and the import schedule cannot yet be confirmed.
Discussions were held with the Thai Chamber of Commerce, the Thai Fertilizer Manufacturers Association, and fertilizer importers. They unanimously agreed that it is necessary to urgently find alternative import sources, as the new planting season begins in May, marking the start of the country's main production period. The current fertilizer supply is sufficient for the short term. However, to ensure continuous supply until the end of the production season in July, an additional approximately 1 million tons of fertilizer will need to be imported.
Mr. Suriya stated that he has instructed the agricultural attach© to expedite coordination for a meeting with the Russian Minister of Agriculture within the next week, and that he will travel to Russia himself for negotiations to establish a framework for cooperation in fertilizer trade between the two countries. Details regarding price and quantity will be negotiated by the private sector to ensure imports proceed quickly and in line with market mechanisms. He added that clarity on additional fertilizer imports will alleviate market concerns and likely lead to a decrease in domestic fertilizer prices, as small retailers will accelerate the sale of their stock. Currently, the majority of fertilizer has already been distributed from large-scale producers to the retail market.
Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture has implemented cost-reduction measures by allowing the use of alternative materials to plastic pellets in fertilizer bag production, such as compressed paper, following increases in raw material prices due to the global energy situation. This has resulted in lower packaging costs and an immediate decrease in fertilizer prices in the market.
Mr. Manas Chiaravanont, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Chia Tai Company Limited, stated that the fertilizer at risk of shortage at the moment is urea, which is the most widely used type. Other types of fertilizer are still available in sufficient quantities. The government and private sector will cooperate in a "Team Thailand" approach to address the problem, and will also educate farmers on the appropriate use of fertilizers according to crop type and area, in order to reduce costs and increase production efficiency in the long term.
Data from the Department of Agriculture indicates that over the past seven years, Thailand has imported an average of 4-6 million tons of fertilizer annually. By 2025, imports totaled over 6.1 million tons, valued at over 91 billion baht. The main import sources are China, Saudi Arabia, and Russia. As of March 31, 2026, there were 920,760.61 tons of fertilizer remaining in the system. Furthermore, China has restricted fertilizer exports for food security reasons, leading to a tight global fertilizer supply and impacting Thailand's imports.