According to Texas Farm Bureau, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has disrupted access to the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for fertilizer and oil.<\/p>\n
COUPLAND, Texas \u2014 A surge in fertilizer prices tied to global conflict is hitting Central Texas farmers hard, driving up the cost of maintaining their fields.<\/p>\n
In Coupland, fifth\u2011generation farmer Mark Prinz works land his family has cared for since the 1940s. He said the recent fertilizer cost spike adds another layer of pressure to an industry already facing challenges.<\/p>\n
“There’s a lot of stress from a lot of different angles for sure with agriculture; there’s a lot of different variables,\u201d said Prinz. \u201dRight now, there\u2019s a big increase. There\u2019s a lot of uncertainty in the market.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the Texas Farm Bureau, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has disrupted access to the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for fertilizer and oil. That disruption has driven prices up significantly.<\/p>\n
\u201cTexas farmers who had purchased and booked their fertilizer supplies early in the year did not pay the higher prices that are now being reflected, but those that did not and those that will need fertilizer later in the growing season are looking at maybe 40% increases for some of those nitrogen products,\u201d said Gary Joiner, Texas Farm Bureau director of communications.<\/p>\n
Prinz\u2019s family farm spans roughly 150 acres and produces crops like corn, cotton and wheat. The recent price jump means thousands of dollars could be shaved off the farm\u2019s bottom line. On average, the farm spends between $100 and $150 per acre on fertilizer alone.<\/p>\n
If prices don\u2019t fall, Prinz told KVUE he\u2019ll be forced to make major adjustments next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s a hard tool to pull out and cut back,\u201d he said. \u201cWe depend on it like, say, to make good quality crops. And so we can hardly sacrifice, not using it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rising fertilizer costs aren\u2019t the only challenge. Joiner said fuel prices are also climbing, compounding the financial strain and contributing to higher prices at the grocery store.<\/p>\n