Indonesia has agreed to supply Australia with 5,000 tonnes of urea amid the latter’s worrying shortage of diesel exhaust fluid, which is made from the substance, and China’s global embargo on urea exports. Canberra said on Monday that enough urea would arrive from Indonesia in January to make a month’s worth of AdBlue, a diesel exhaust fluid needed to reduce greenhouse gases and keep diesel-powered vehicles such as trucks running. A shortage of AdBlue in Australia is threatening to cripple supply chains and compromise goods deliveries, as modern diesel vehicles that form the backbone of the country’s logistics network require diesel exhaust fluid for their engines to properly function. Canberra insists, however, that supplies are sufficient to sustain distribution during the key Christmas and new year holiday period. “By working closely with our partners, we have been able to secure this critical supply for Australia,” Australian trade minister Dan Tehan said on Monday. “We will continue to strengthen our close relationships around the world to support and further Australia’s interests.” Canberra has also been working with shipping companies across the world to ensure shipments of urea and AdBlue to Australia stay on track, Australian industry minister Angus Taylor said. Is China taking the XXXX out of Australia? “Shipping companies have been helpful in prioritising the loading of a number of containers coming through Singapore to ensure that supplies arrive in Australia as soon as possible,” he said. “I would like to thank those companies that have supported and offered support to this effort.” An emergency task force was set up by Australia’s government earlier this month after warnings that the nation’s supply of urea was set to run out in some six weeks. Major Australian fertiliser manufacturer Incitec Pivot Limited on Monday agreed to ramp up production at its factory on Gibson Island in Brisbane, reversing a planned closure of the plant that had been set for next year after Canberra offered A$29 million (US$20.6 million) in funding for an estimated 5,000 tonnes of urea to be added to the national supply each month. China curbs Australia’s AdBlue crisis, and a wider global shortage of urea, come on the heels of Beijing curtailing fertiliser and urea exports, which it started to do in October as a domestic power crisis led to production shortages and price inflation. New regulations introduced that month required additional inspections of urea and fertiliser exports – deterring many traders from sending shipments abroad. China usually accounts for about 30 per cent of global urea exports, and until recently was the source of 80 per cent of Australia’s urea imports. An article published on Monday by the state-run Global Times tabloid said urea “exports to countries like Australia” could be limited even as China steps up production – quoting industry insiders who cited tightened domestic supplies and higher shipping costs.