‘Sends shivers down your spine’: Fertilizer shortages may push food prices higher, hit Americans far beyond the fields

Timing makes the situation even more precarious. Spring planting sets the tone for the entire growing season — but the window is short. Farmers can’t afford to wait for prices to normalize. They have to plant now, regardless of cost. People need to eat.At the same time, production is also being affected by higher energy costs, since many fertilizers rely on natural gas as a key input.The current disruption is hitting from multiple angles. With the Strait of Hormuz closed due to the war in the Gulf, the worl ...