The agriculture ministry says even if China restricts its urea exports, the move would have limited impact on the supply and demand of fertilizer in South Korea. 

The ministry’s remark on Friday came amid growing fears that supply and demand of fertilizer could see disruptions in the wake of foreign media reports that China has asked some fertilizer producers to suspend urea exports following a jump in domestic prices. 

The agriculture ministry said it diversified its import sources after suffering acute shortage in urea water solution resulting from export curbs implemented by China back in 2021. 

During that year, 65 percent of the nation’s urea imports came from China but as of this July the figure has plunged to 17 percent. 

The ministry said the nation currently imports 51 percent of its urea from Middle Eastern countries, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia,