Trump's Terms War with Iran disrupts fertilizer exports as U.S. farmers prepare for planting season
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Mar 23, 2026 Frank Morris, an NPR reporter for KCUR who filed the field report on fertilizer supply disruptions. He describes a sudden 25–30% fertilizer price surge linked to conflict in the Strait of Hormuz. Kansas farmers racing to buy or delay supplies before planting. How natural gas shortages and global trade shifts are reshaping U.S. fertilizer availability and policy responses.
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Fertilizer Prices Jump After Strait Of Hormuz Disruption
- Global fertilizer prices spiked about 25–30% after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran because half of nitrogen exports transit the Strait of Hormuz.
- Farmers buying fertilizer by the ton face sudden cost shocks right at spring planting, forcing some to delay purchases and risk yields.
Natural Gas Shortages Ripple Through Fertilizer Supply
- Fertilizer production relies heavily on natural gas and key inputs like LNG and sulfur, so supply chains are vulnerable to regional energy disruptions.
- Countries such as India, Pakistan and China are cutting production as gas supplies tighten, amplifying the global shortfall.
Domestic Production Can't Fill Spring Surge
- The U.S. faces a domestic shortfall of roughly two million tons this spring because plants can't ramp up quickly during peak planting demand.
- Fertilizer plants run near full capacity and take years to build, so shortfalls persist even if imports recover.