Bangkok: The government has announced that there is a sufficient supply of chemical fertilizers, assuring that urea fertilizer can be utilized until August 2026. Retailers selling fertilizers at excessively high prices will face strict legal action.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Airin Phanrit, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, stated that the tense situation in the Middle East is impacting countries globally, including Thailand. In response, the government has directed relevant agencies to closely monitor the chemical fertilizer trade and the agricultural sector in Thailand. Measures are being prepared to address potential challenges should the tensions in the Middle East continue.
The latest monitoring indicates that the country has a stock of approximately 1.52 million tons of chemical fertilizers as of January 2026, while the average monthly demand is around 0.8 million tons. Urea fertilizer, which constitutes about 36% of total fertilizer use, has a stock of 0.32 million tons, equating to 6.5 million bags. This amount is adequate for more than two months of demand. Additionally, Thailand is in the process of importing around 100,000 tons of urea fertilizer from Saudi Arabia, which will increase the total availability to 8.5 million bags, sufficient until August 2026.
Thailand also has alternative channels for importing chemical fertilizers from countries like Malaysia and Brunei. These imports will not disrupt Thailand's agricultural production, which is currently in the harvest season for key crops such as off-season rice and fruits, while the main rice crop is not yet in the planting stage.
The prices of fertilizers in the market, especially those containing urea, remain unchanged as they are based on pre-existing stocks. However, the government has instructed agencies to monitor the situation and price structure closely. If global fertilizer costs fluctuate, any price adjustments must reflect actual costs to minimize the impact on farmers.
Ms. Airin emphasized that farmers should not panic or rush to stockpile fertilizers. She warned retailers against selling fertilizers at excessively high prices or exploiting the situation by unjustifiably raising prices, as they will face strict legal actions to ensure fairness for farmers.