Fertilizer imports from China have increased significantly.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, while we can now produce some types of fertilizers domestically, such as urea and NPK, we still have to import 100% of the remaining items like potassium, SA, and MAP to serve domestic agricultural production.

Preliminary statistics show that nationwide fertilizer imports in July reached 505.5 thousand tons, worth 179 million USD, an increase of 15.4% in volume and 7.5% in value compared to June 2013. This brings the total fertilizer imports in the first seven months of the year to 2.4 million tons, worth 968.1 million USD, an increase of 25.27% in volume and 12.06% in value compared to the same period in 2012.

(illustrative image)
According to data from the Department of Border and Mountain Trade (Ministry of Industry and Trade), in recent years, fertilizers have been mainly imported from China through secondary border gates and crossings along the Vietnam-China border. Of these, the Ban Vuoc secondary border gate (Bat Xat - Lao Cai) accounts for over 90% of fertilizer imports via border trade, primarily DAP, urea, and some types not yet produced domestically such as MAP, SA, and potassium.

The volume of fertilizer imported through border trade has also increased significantly year by year. While only 80,000 tons were imported in 2010, this increased to 362,000 tons in 2011, and reached 560,000 tons in 2012. According to preliminary statistics from the General Department of Customs, in the first seven months of 2013, Vietnam imported 1.2 million tons of fertilizer from China, accounting for 46.3% of the market share, with a value of US$418.1 million, an increase of 14.31% in volume but a decrease of 0.6% in value.

Following China, the Philippines ranked second, with 217.3 thousand tons, valued at US$102.8 million, representing a 32.31% increase in volume and a 29.45% increase in value compared to the same period last year. Overall, fertilizer imports from most markets showed growth in volume during the first seven months of the year, with only 28.5% of markets experiencing a decrease, including Japan (down 8.67%); Taiwan (down 12.2%); India (down 7.96%); and the United States (down 9.65%).

Notably, although fertilizer imports from Thailand amounted to only 4,500 tons, valued at $4.6 million, this market showed exceptional growth, increasing by 124.39% in volume and 104.87% in value compared to the first seven months of 2012.

According to NNVN - HV