Fertiliser costs are soaring amid war in the Middle East. Will your grocery bill follow?

Australia gets half its urea – a crucial nitrogen fertiliser – from countries now impacted by the war. But research suggests higher food prices aren’t a given.

The Conversation
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/05/big-burden-for-farmers-gulf-shipping-crisis-threatens-food-price-shock. "The global #fertiliser #supplychain could face significant disruption if the effective closure by #Iran of the strait of #Hormuz persists, prompting concerns from analysts about #crop #production & #foodsecurity... Between a quarter & a third of the global trade in the raw materials for fertiliser passes through the strait, as well as a fifth of seaborne crude #oil & #gas."
‘A big burden for farmers’: Gulf shipping crisis threatens food price shock

Iranian blockade of the strategic strait of Hormuz is hitting global fertiliser supply chain

The Guardian
https://theconversation.com/strait-of-hormuz-if-the-iran-conflict-shuts-worlds-most-important-oil-chokepoint-global-economic-chaos-could-follow-277199. "Hormuz is dominated by #oil tankers & [LNG] carriers, so disruption directly hits global #energy #supplies. In addition, a lesser-known #dependency is that one-third of the world’s #fertiliser #trade passes through the strait. Both energy & #agricultural #supplychains have already been destabilised by the #Ukraine war. Further #price rises could have far-reaching #consequences."
Strait of Hormuz: if the Iran conflict shuts world’s most important oil chokepoint, global economic chaos could follow

Iran has warned it could close down the strait, through which 20% of the world’s oil transits each day.

The Conversation

A Healthier Earth and Cefetra, in partnership with the UK Agri-Tech Centre and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), have been awarded £1.34 million in funding from DEFRA’s Farming Innovation Programme, which will fund a three-year project to develop a biogenic low-carbon #fertiliser. 🌱

https://sustainabilityonline.net/?p=25817

A Healthier Earth and Cefetra secure finding for low-carbon fertiliser development - Sustainability Online

A Healthier Earth and Cefetra, have been awarded £1.34 million in funding from DEFRA’s Farming Innovation Programme, which will fund a low-carbon fertiliser.

Sustainability Online - A business news platform with a sustainable focus. Featuring the latest sustainability news and ESG insight, viewed through a business lens.

📰 Circular management of human excreta as a pillar of sustainable cities and food systems

https://hal.science/hal-05478504

This is the written summary of a presentation I gave at the annual meeting of the International Fertiliser Society (you can watch the presentation here: https://video.ploud.fr/w/qb3a8rXPxW7QQmWN7uBBKS)

I discuss the limitations of sewer-based sanitation in the face of climate change and increasing water scarcity: can we still afford the amount of water that is needed for sewers to effectively carry fecal matter all the way to the treatment plant?
Obviously I also mention how alternative management methods are being tested throughout Europe, including in large neighborhoods in Hamburg, Sneek, or Helsingborg (and soon Paris).

#circularity #circularEconomy #environment #sanitation #fertiliser #toilets #sustainability #sustainableCities #WWTP #sewers

Circular management of human excreta as a pillar of sustainable cities and food systems

Human excreta (urine and faeces) is a major nutrient deposit; in the context of sustainable agri-food systems, it would in fact constitute the largest source of renewable phosphorus. However, current management through sewer-based sanitation leads to significant degradation of this resource as well as to the loss of the majority of the nutrients to the environment. This article details the flows of nitrogen throughout the French sanitation system and discusses the levers and obstacles to nutrient recovery in sewer-based sanitation systems. Using monitoring data from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) as well as records on population and dietary intakes, we assessed the flows of nutrients from food, through sanitation systems, and to the environment or environmental parcels. The mass flow diagram showed that 90% of the nitrogen and 50% of the phosphorus entering the system were not returned to agricultural fields but lost to the environment, thus inducing an intrinsic dependence on external nutrient imports. Though legislation has contributed to reducing water pollution by limiting the amount of nutrients discharged to the water, they have had little effect on recycling, especially for nitrogen. Further regulations on WWTPs are unlikely to enable the high nutrient recycling rates that could help secure domestic fertilizer supply chains. Because of this and given the vulnerability of sewer-based sanitation in the face of climate change and increasing water scarcity, we investigate the potential of excreta source-separation to provide high-quality resources for bio-based fertiliser production. We show that, if secured to fertilise crop production for human consumption, the nutrients in French excreta could cover a third of the nutrient requirements of domestic food consumption.

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) says Nigeria is positioned to become a net exporter of Urea and fertiliser by 2028.

https://dmarketforces.com/nigeria-to-become-net-urea-fertiliser-exporter-by-2028-nmdpra/

#NMDPRA #Urea #Fertiliser

Nigeria To Become Net Urea, Fertiliser Exporter By 2028—NMDPRA

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) says Nigeria is positioned to become a net exporter of Ur

MarketForces Africa

India’s #Fertiliser Imports to Hit Record $18 Billion
India is set to #import a record $18 billion worth of fertilisers this fiscal year, a 76% rise from last year, driven by strong #monsoon rains and higher crop sowing. In the first nine months, imports already touched $13.98 billion, with another $4 billion expected in the final quarter.

Above-normal rainfall and expanded winter crop acreage have boosted fertiliser use, pushing overall consumption up by 5%.

Industrial, energy & residential sources of #PM2.5 are key contributors to #airpollution (largely from #fossilfuels) that pose real #health risks. Per-unit effects of transportation sources are bigger. Agricultural sources ( #fertiliser, #livestock) are linked to mortality: doi.org/10.1016/j.la...

Redirecting

@Hellybootwader @PermaSolarPotter
Just subscribed to the #compost tag and found you both here from elsewhere!
But you're discussing #fertiliser cf compost which demands that I share a recent 💡️ experience.

I've tried #urine many times in different places over my life with mixed results. From beds that would only grow california poppies afterwards, to odd-tasting tomatoes and otherwise fine crops. Recently for health reasons, I've cut added salt almost totally from my diet, and the little I sometimes use is the unrefined hopefully not dyed Himalayan sort. And to cut a long story short ... the plants love it now - fresh direct on the soil. Even the legumes are looking lush with it compared to without. Quickly turns ailing plants around and even seems to increase their fungal/cold resistance. This is keeping me from relapsing into salty habits as well as doing good things in the garden.

The EU carbon border tax will force others to cut emissions from 2026.

In 2026, the European Union will start charging a carbon-emissions-based tax, the carbon border adjustment mechanism, on imported goods such as steel, cement and fertilisers – and countries including the UK are likely to follow.

https://mediafaro.org/article/20251230-the-eu-carbon-border-tax-will-force-others-to-cut-emissions-from-2026?mf_channel=mastodon&action=forward

#CarbonEmissions #CarbonBorderTax #EU #CarbonBorderAdjustmentMechanism #Steel #Cement #Fertiliser #Industry #Business #Environment #Europe #UK

The EU carbon border tax will force others to cut emissions from 2026.

In 2026, the European Union will start charging a carbon-emissions-based tax, the carbon border adjustment mechanism, on imported goods such as steel, cement and fertilisers – and countries including the …

New Scientist