Fertilizer prices are at an all-time high. Farmers throughout the world are lowering their use of it and the quantity of land they’re growing as a result of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, which has some agriculture industry veterans predicting food shortages.
With Russia being a significant exporter of potash, ammonia, urea, and other soil nutrients. Sanctions imposed by the United States on Russia, have interrupted supplies of those critical inputs all over the world.
Fertilizer is essential for maintaining high yields of corn, soy, rice, and wheat. The tilt can be observed in Brazil’s agricultural powerhouse, where some farmers are using less fertilizer on their maize and some federal politicians are advocating for the mining of potash on protected indigenous territories.
Small farmers in some parts of East Africa are turning to manure to feed their crops. One canola farmer in Canada has already started stockpiling fertilizer for the 2023 season, anticipating even higher costs.
Farmers in other parts of the country are taking similar steps. Grain farmers, agriculture analysts, merchants, and farm groups were among the 34 persons interviewed by Reuters across six continents. All of them voiced worry about fertilizer prices and availability.
Fertilizer costs are predicted to rise 12 per cent this year in the United States, after jumping 17 per cent in 2021, according to figures from the American Farm Bureau Federation and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Some producers are considering switching to nutrient-light crops. Others intend to plant a smaller amount of land. Others say they’ll just use less fertilizer, which agricultural experts believe would reduce yields.
In underdeveloped countries, where farmers have fewer financial means to withstand the storm, production is particularly vulnerable.