Fertiliser supply risks mount as EU import rules face scrutiny

Price uncertainty has reduced fertiliser imports, with many blaming EU delays in agreeing how the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism operates

Fertiliser prices have risen significantly since 2020, and now account for 15-30% of arable production costs, even as cereal prices fall back to 2020 levels.

The EU Commission has been warned of a fertiliser shortage in parts of Europe.

“In many regions, stock levels and domestic production fall short of meeting the demand for the next harvest,” said Austria’s agriculture minister, Norbert Totschnig, at a recent agriculture and fisheries ministers’ council meeting.