Global fertiliser trade down 30% this year amid Mideast war: UN

PARIS: Global trade in fertilisers crucial to agriculture harvests worldwide have slumped 30 per cent since the start of the year, as the Mideast war sent prices soaring and led several countries to restrict exports, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization said on Thursday.

Many farmers have delayed or forgone purchases as supplies tightened with the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, blocking shipments of the raw materials and liquefied natural gas (LNG) used in fertiliser production.

At the same time, China, Russia, Türkiye and Egypt are among the main producer countries that have limited exports to protect their domestic markets.

Prices on average jumped 25 per cent between February and May, according to FAO data released in its biannual Food Outlook report.

As a result, trade volumes fell to 41 million tonnes in the first four months of this year, down from 58 million tonnes in the period last year.

Even if the strait reopens under a deal signed by the US and Iran this week, “recovery across nitrogen, phosphates, and sulphur-linked inputs would be slow and uneven, keeping prices historically elevated”, the FAO warned.

A third of the world’s fertiliser supply passed through the Strait of Hormuz before the war that erupted on February 28, and officials have warned that farmers could face shortages during the summer growing season. — AFP