The government urges farmers not to panic and states there is no need to rush to stockpile chemical fertilizers. There is sufficient supply; "urea fertilizer" is available through August 2026. Retailers selling fertilizer at excessive prices will face legal action.
On 6 March 2026, Ms. Airin Panrit, Deputy Spokesperson of the Office of the Prime Minister, revealed that the tensions in the Middle East have global impacts, including on Thailand in several areas, such as the import of chemical fertilizers from abroad, which concerns farmers. The government has ordered relevant agencies to closely monitor the fertilizer trade and the Thai agricultural business and to prepare contingency measures if tensions in the Middle East persist.
According to the latest monitoring, the domestic chemical fertilizer stock remains sufficient, with about 1.52 million tons in inventory as of January 2026. Average monthly demand is around 0.8 million tons. Urea fertilizer, a key raw material accounting for about 36% of total fertilizer use, has a stock of 0.32 million tons or 6.5 million sacks, enough to cover more than two months of use. Additionally, Thailand is importing about 100,000 tons (2 million sacks) of urea from Saudi Arabia, bringing total available urea to 8.5 million sacks, sufficient through August 2026.
Meanwhile, Thailand has alternative fertilizer import sources from countries like Malaysia and Brunei, which continue normal imports and will not affect agricultural production. This period coincides with the harvest season for key crops such as off-season rice and fruits. The main rice planting season has not yet begun.
Regarding fertilizer prices in the market, the urea-based fertilizer stock was procured before the recent tensions, so domestic prices remain stable. If the situation prolongs and global fertilizer costs change, the government has directed agencies to closely monitor prices and cost structures, adjusting prices based on actual costs while minimizing impacts on farmers.
"Farmers are urged not to panic or rush to buy or hoard large quantities of chemical fertilizers. We emphasize that retailers found selling fertilizers at unreasonably high prices or exploiting the situation with unjustified price increases will face strict legal action to ensure fairness for farmers."