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China’s nitrogen fertilizer industry helps ensure a stable supply of such fertilizers Author/Source: Sinochem New Network Date: July 7, 2020 Clicks: 11 At a meeting held at the beginning of July with key nitrogen fertilizer manufacturers, Gu Zongqin, president of the China Nitrogen Fertilizer Industry Association, said that since the start of this year, the association has made various efforts to ensure a stable domestic supply of nitrogen fertilizers, thereby contributing to China’s food security. Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure an adequate supply of fertilizers for spring plowing, the Nitrogen Fertilizer Association promptly issued calls to the industry to maintain such supply, sent survey letters to enterprises to gather information, and reported in a timely manner to departments such as the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the State Administration for Market Regulation about the difficulties faced by the industry due to the pandemic, including shortages of raw materials, rising costs, labor shortages, and disrupted logistics, in order to secure more policy support for the industry. Most of the industry demands raised by the association during the pandemic have been addressed. **When formulating preferential policies to combat the pandemic, the National Development and Reform Commission took the association’s suggestions into account and worked with it to determine the extent of discounts on raw natural gas as well as the details of related policies. The association brought to the attention of the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs the problems associated with the transportation of fertilizers; subsequent documents issued by these departments specified that efforts should be made to ensure the transportation of fertilizer raw materials and products, giving priority to such shipments. Between February and March, the association also assisted the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on multiple occasions in coordinating with key enterprises to supply nitrogen fertilizers to provinces facing shortages.