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Chinese phosphate exports down

The vice president of fertilizer with Stone X says farmers need to keep an eye on the phosphate market.

Josh Linville says China, the world’s largest phosphate exporter, has dramatically decreased exports in 2025.

“Q1 is typically a low export period as they focus on their own spring demands, but this year is well below what we would consider normal.”  He says, “You go back to what we would consider the last normal year for them, and they exported over 900,000 tons. January, February, March of this year only 111,000 tons.”

He tells Brownfield that’s caused phosphate prices to remain relatively high compared to typical springs.

“You expect that phosphate prices are going to fall, that you’re going to see your typical summer reset.”  He says, “Unfortunately, China has pulled hard back on their export flow, so lower supplies and kind of unchanged demand, Econ 101 says prices go up.”

If supplies continue to tighten and drive prices higher, Linville says he expects some farmers to reduce phosphate applications this fall.

AUDIO: Josh Linville – Stone X