Hormuz closure drove up fertilizer prices, compounding strain on Filipino farmers: Gatchalian

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz dealt a “double whammy” to Filipino farmers, driving up fertilizer prices on top of already elevated costs from the broader Iran conflict, Senate President Win Gatchalian said Saturday, warning that the agriculture sector has borne a disproportionate share of the crisis’s economic fallout.

Gatchalian made the assessment in an interview on DZRH News program Special on Saturday on June 20, confirming that fertilizer sourced from the Strait region — often processed in China before being sold in the Philippines—saw price increases directly tied to the Hormuz closure.

“Double whammy nga ang ating mga magsasaka dahil dito sa nung nagsara ‘yung Strait of Hormuz. Mayroon din tayong kinukuhang fertilizer galing Strait sa Iran, pino-proseso ito sa China, binabalik dito, o binebenta dito sa atin. Kaya mayroon din tayong nakitang ‘yung pagsara ng Strait of Hormuz, tumaas din ang presyo ng pataba,” Gatchalian said.

The Philippines imports roughly 95% of its urea fertilizer, with much of it passing through the Strait of Hormuz from suppliers in Russia, Ukraine, and Saudi Arabia, making the farm sector especially exposed to disruptions along that route.

Gatchalian’s remarks affirmed concerns that Filipino farmers faced a heavier burden from the Iran conflict than other sectors, given that fertilizer costs directly affect production costs and farm income even as broader inflation pressures from the crisis were already squeezing household budgets.