How Iran war is hitting fertilizer supplies: ‘Timing is pretty detrimental’
Global News
Canada produced 32.8 per cent of the world’s total potash production in 2024, remaining the world's largest potash producer, according to Natural Resources Canada.
Plans surrounding spring farming for Canadians are set to drastically change following the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz — and the spillover effects on global fertilizer supplies.
The narrow waterway near Iran handles a significant portion of global energy and fertilizer supplies and is home to some of the world’s largest fertilizer plants, but is showing no signs of reopening due to the ongoing war in the Middle East.
The sea channel is responsible for one-third of the global trade for these nutrients, such as urea, nitrogen, sulphur and phosphates, according to Kreg Ruhl, vice-president of crop nutrients for Growmark.
Currently, Iran is threatening any vessels that attempt to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
President and CEO of Fertilizer Canada Michael Bourque said in an emailed statement to Global News that “as a globally traded commodity, any impact on global fertilizer production can be felt throughout the market.”
“Ongoing instability in the region also has the potential to disrupt global trade flows, particularly through key corridors such as the Strait of Hormuz, which plays a central role in the movement of energy, fertilizer and many other goods.”
The timing is not ideal for those who require these products, as the seasons change and demand is set to skyrocket.
“The entire world is competing for the limited supply that’s available, and we’re preparing to go to the fields and plan for next year’s crops in the next 30 to 60 days in most of North America, so the timing is pretty detrimental,” Ruhl said.
Sustained pressure on oil prices could mean Canadians will pay significantly more at the grocery store by the end of this month, one expert said.
Also on Sunday, the Prime Minister's Office said Carney gathered the Incident Response Group with ministers and senior officials to discuss the ongoing war in Iran.
An investigative group says newly released video “appears to contradict” U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that Iran was responsible for an explosion at an Iranian school.
A survey found a majority of Canadians want Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to lose his claim to the throne, while 51 per cent say the Royal Family is not relevant to them personally.
PST, the Norwegian police security service, called in additional personnel following the incident but has not changed the country's terror threat level.
Israel's military has so far killed about 200 Hezbollah militants, spokesman Nadav Shoshani said in an online briefing. Hezbollah has not published a toll for its fighters.
Canadians are returning home from the Middle East as escalating U.S.-Iran tensions disrupt travel and rattle global energy markets.
Iran's president apologized Saturday for attacks even as its missiles and drones flew toward Gulf Arab states. He also rejected Donald Trump's repeated demands for surrender.
The U.S. says it has stuck a new agreement to provide up to US$20 billion in reinsurance coverage to 'restore confidence in maritime trade' amid the Iran war.
Leavitt also said Washington was looking at potential candidates to lead Iran, a day after Trump said that the U.S. must be involved in choosing the next leader of Iran.
Canada has arranged a chartered flight departing from the UAE, which has the highest number of Canadians registered in the region, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said.
Carignan said a meeting is set for early Friday morning to discuss such a proposal among allied militaries and that a recommendation would be presented to the government.
As the Iran conflict jeopardizes global oil and gas supplies, Canada's energy and resource sector may be able to offset some of these impacts and see benefits to the economy.