With fertilizer prices at record levels, cane and beet farming is more expensive.
Some farmers around the world are replacing and/or rationing their fertilizer. In CS Brazil, for instance, we’ve seen farmers swap out nitrogen-based fertilizers (such as compost) with filter cake (an important residue from the sugar and alcohol industry).
Rationing fertilizer, or altering the application rate, can hinder production as different fertilizers provide crops with specific doses of the elements that ensure optimal development (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium).
We remain in the early stages of the fertilizer crisis, but now key suppliers, such as Russia, are banning exports to ensure domestic supply, there’s a real risk of supply tightness across the globe, which will impact all farmers, not just cane and beet.
Timely buying will be important to ensure supply is there at the critical points in the season, but even this can be challenging when there’s logistical and political disturbance.
Other Opinions You Might Be Interested In…
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