Trade Minister Dan Tehan has urged businesses not to hoard a chemical key to keeping Australia's freight and logistics sectors on the road.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Australia has about seven weeks' worth of urea - used in the diesel exhaust fluid AdBlue - left amid a global shortage as China restricts exports.
The federal government is speaking to countries including Indonesia about shoring up Australia's supply.
It is also approaching Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Japan.
Korea last month flew 27,000 litres of urea to Australia.
Mr Tehan said the COVID-19 pandemic had highlighted the fragility of some supply chains.
"There will always be some stock which they (businesses) keep in warehouses," he told ABC radio on Monday.
"But what we don't want to see is the excessive warehousing of AdBlue at this stage."
He is confident Australia will be able to secure the urea it needs.
"There is obviously issues around containers, shipping disruptions which we're also working through," Mr Tehan said.
"But from everything that we're seeing, there is clear supply which we can bring to Australia."
Australian Associated Press