China says it will release fertilizer from national reserves ahead of the spring planting season after the conflict in the Middle East and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted global supplies. The move is intended to stabilize prices and ensure farmers have access to key crop nutrients during peak demand. The China Agricultural Means of Production Association says the release is happening about 15 days earlier than normal and will include nitrogen, phosphate and compound fertilizers. Analysts say the early drawdown reflects tightening global supplies as shipping routes are disrupted and fertilizer plants in the region shut down. China, the world’s largest producer of urea, has also restricted fertilizer exports this year to protect domestic supply while remaining on track to produce a record crop nutrient output.
