US farmers face fertilizer shortage since US-Israel strikes on Iran

US farmers could face spring planting disruptions as fertilizer supplies tighten and prices surge following US-Israeli attacks against Iran. Concerns are rising that food costs may climb further in the months ahead.

The war has cut off critical nitrogen fertilizer supplies from the Gulf to the world's farmers. More than 30% of world nitrogen fertilizer exports, as well as fertilizer components like sulfur, pass through the now effectively closed Strait of Hormuz.

The American Farm Bureau Federation says countries exposed to war-related disruptions in the region – including Egypt, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – represent about 49% of global urea exports and roughly 30% of ammonia exports.

Most countries do not hold strategic reserves of fertilizer, and much of the US fertilizer dealer system does not hold stocks, leaving it vulnerable ​to sudden supply shortages.

The US, which in some years imports half of its urea fertilizer, is about 25% short of the usual supplies that farmers buy for spring planting, according to The Fertilizer Institute, which represents the US fertilizer supply chain.

The length of time that the Strait of Hormuz is closed is critical. Fertilizer loaded onto ships in the Gulf can take weeks to reach markets like the US, and then must be transferred to ​river barges, trucks or trains to reach farmland. Most fertilizer needs to be applied before the crop starts growing, so any supplies arriving ​too late cannot be used ⁠for the 2026 crop.

On Friday, US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the Trump administration is "looking at every potential avenue" to control fertilizer costs and having discussions with lawmakers about more aid for farmers.

Earlier this week, the American Farm Bureau Federation warned that fertilizer supply shortages could hit the ⁠US food ​supply.

US Senator Josh Hawley noted that fertilizer prices have soared as much as 32% since the start of the war and said this was not reasonable. Nigh of The Fertilizer Institute said fertilizer prices have been rising sharply around the world, a dynamic that is ​expected when supplies suddenly become scarce.

Rising prices for key crop fertilizers could soon push US food costs higher.

US food prices are already trending upward. The latest consumer inflation data released earlier this week shows grocery prices climbed 0.4% between January and February and are 2.4% higher than a year ago. Meanwhile, restaurant prices increased 0.3% over the same period and have risen 3.9% compared with last year.

With the planting season now underway, any interruption in fertilizer supplies could add further pressure to food prices in the coming months.

(With input from agencies)