WSJ: Fertilizer shortages raise fears of food crisis in US

Jeff Stier, an analyst at the US-based Heartland Institute, has warned that a shortage of mineral fertilizers could trigger a food crisis in the United States, writing in an article for The Wall Street Journal. 

According to the expert, China, Russia and Iran’s dominance of the fertilizer market is creating conditions for a sharp rise in retail food prices. Stier said the situation is being compounded by several factors, including ongoing geopolitical tensions surrounding Ukraine, restrictions on fertilizer exports from China, and threats to freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The author urged US authorities to focus on strengthening domestic supply chains and expanding hydrocarbon production at home.

He stressed that natural gas is a key component in the production of nitrogen fertilizers, while oil and gas processing provides the sulfur needed to manufacture phosphate products.

Stier concluded that a country’s energy independence is inseparably linked to its ability to ensure food security.

By Jeyhun Aghazada