California farmers concerned over fertilizer shortage as Iran war disrupts shipments

By Steve Large

The war with Iran is now leading to growing concerns among California farmers over a fertilizer shortage, with many fertilizing products coming from shipments that are stuck in the Persian Gulf. 

The fears of shortages come at a critical time for California farmers, who are about a month ahead of schedule for spring planting because of recent warmer weather.

Pat Klingler is a sales manager for Wilbur-Ellis Agribusiness, which sells fertilizer products to farmers across California’s Central Valley. He said some farmers are now calling him, concerned he could be running out due to the conflict in the Middle East.

“This whole Iran conflict has changed the whole fertilizer dynamics,” Klingler said. “A large percentage of fertilizer components come from that area.”

The war with Iran has caused the price of fertilizer to skyrocket. The cost of Urea is up 30% in the past month, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Shipments are stuck in the Persian Gulf as a result of Iran blocking shipping lanes at the Strait of Hormuz.

Stockton Port CEO Kirk DeJesus, CEO of the Port of Stockton, said the travel time from the Persian Gulf to his port in California’s Central Valley is 30 days.

“Ninety-five percent of the fertilizer used in growing those crops moves through and is imported through the port of Stockton,” DeJesus said. 

The American Farm Bureau has sent a letter to President Trump recommending he use “the U.S. Navy to provide and maintain safe and reliable maritime transit for fertilizer shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.” The White House has not yet committed to using the Navy to escort the cargo ships out of the Persian Gulf.

“The production’s still there. The supply is still there. Getting it from there to here is where the difficulty lies,” DeJesus said.

Klingler said these shipment delays “put a scare into the whole market.”

“You hate to run out,” Klingler said. “You’ve got a lot of money invested in the crop.”