U.S. farmers worry about fertilizer supply due to war with Iran : NPR

Key Points:

• The closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the war in the Persian Gulf has disrupted nearly 50% of the world's urea fertilizer exports, causing a sharp increase in nitrogen fertilizer prices and supply shortages during the critical spring planting season.
• U.S. farmers, who rely on both domestic production and imports for nitrogen fertilizer, face a shortage of approximately 2 million tons of urea this spring, with some farmers potentially reducing corn planting or skipping planting altogether.
• Key fertilizer-producing countries like India, Pakistan, and China are struggling with limited natural gas supplies, which hampers their fertilizer production, while sulfur shortages further impact phosphate fertilizer availability.
• Federal efforts to mitigate the crisis include bipartisan legislation for transparent pricing and easing import restrictions, but the fertilizer supply chain remains fragile with limited capacity and long recovery times expected even after the Strait reopens.
• The fertilizer shortage could lead to reduced crop yields globally, threatening food security, especially in vulnerable countries dependent on Persian Gulf fertilizer imports, while potentially providing some environmental benefits from decreased fertilizer runoff.