China Expected to Suspend Sulphuric Acid Exports by May 2026

“Administrative controls are expected to amount to a de facto suspension of sulphuric acid exports from May 2026,” said Lynn Song, chief economist for Greater China at Dutch investment bank ING, though he added that he had not seen any official notifications from government agencies.

“I’d imagine the intention would be to secure fertiliser supply, which is currently at risk thanks to the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for around a third of seaborne fertiliser trade as well as a lot of global sulphur exports.”

For Beijing, he added, the contribution of sulphuric acid exports to gross domestic product was far less important than the broader goal of safeguarding food security.

China was the world’s largest sulphuric acid exporter in 2025, with the total valued at US$290 million, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity. The main destinations for these shipments included Chile, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and India.

While most commonly used to manufacture fertiliser, sulphuric acid is also vital to the broader chemical industry, where it is used to process minerals and waste water, refine oil and synthesise chemicals.