Across Michigan and the nation, the agriculture industry faces challenges from uncertain global supply chains and difficulty in future planning. This issue continues to grow more acute virtually by the day as farmers and retailers try to look ahead to spring and summer 2022, and beyond. MABA is launching this page as a resource for our members to access key news stories and analysis regarding different elements of this situation. If you want to see something added, email anyone of the MABA staff. News Stories (Sorted by Date) October 19 – China’s Curbs on Fertilizer Exports to Worsen Global Price Shock (Bloomberg 10/19) October 19 – Nitrogen prices erupt due to ‘perfect storm’ of global forces (Capital Press 10/19) October 15 – Fertilizer Crisis Piles More Pressure on World’s Future Food Supply (Bloomberg 10/15) October 12 – The Quarterly: Adapting to Persistent Supply Disruptions (Cobank 10/12) October 12 – Wholesale Fertilizer Prices Expected to Continue Rising on Lower Production, Higher International Demand (DTN) October 11 – Fertilizer Fever: Soaring Costs Could Impact Farmers and Food Prices: FarmDoc Daily provides an excellent rundown of current issues in fertilizer with this post. Farmdoc Daily 10/11 October 10 – India Said to Ask Phosphate Fertilizer Firms to Absorb High Cost: “India won’t increase subsidies on phosphorus-based fertilizers and has directed producers to refrain from raising prices, according to people with knowledge of the matter, threatening the firms’ margins as global costs of the raw material surge.” Bloomberg, Oct. 10 October 9 – Fertilizer prices soaring as natural-gas rally adds to ‘perfect storm’. “Fertilizer prices were already running red hot this year before a European energy crisis fanned the flames, potentially adding to a pinch on farmers in the U.S. and around the world and stoking worries about food inflation.” Marketwatch, Oct. 9 October 5 – As Many As Half A Million Shipping Containers Could Be Waiting Off Ports Of LA, Long Beach: “Officials say there could be as many as half a million shipping containers on cargo ships off the ports of LA and Long Beach, waiting to be offloaded. Frustrated truck drivers say the port needs to speed up wait times and have more docks ready to offload products, to keep up with demands. The ports recently broke several records for the number of ships they had at shore, as well as for the number of ships waiting to dock.” CBS LA 10/5 September 30 – China Phosphate Fertilizer Export Freeze Adds to Global Supply Challenges: “The move by China earlier this week to ban phosphate exports until at least June of next year puts even more pressure on global phosphate trade. The U.S. doesn’t buy much phosphate from China, but the country represents about 30% of world trade. Now China’s traditional buyers will be looking elsewhere.” DTN, Sept. 30
