Delayed Fertiliser Buying Threatens 2027 Food Supply
Farmers in Europe, the US and Brazil are holding off on nitrogen purchases, which could influence crop output and food prices.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Organic Food
Yara International warned that farmers in Europe, the US and Brazil are delaying fertiliser purchases for the 2027 season, with European fertiliser imports for the coming season down around 30% year-on-year. The warning came alongside third-quarter EBITDA excluding special items of $675m, down from $804m a year earlier.
Why it matters
Fertiliser affects the cost and supply of many staple crops, and buying patterns now can shape food prices and availability in later seasons. The delay followed Middle East supply disruptions, weaker crop prices earlier in the year and uncertainty over farmer affordability.
The figures come from Yara International's third-quarter results and earnings call, along with the company's own market estimates for European nitrogen and fertiliser imports. The market contraction and import declines are estimates rather than independently verified totals.
The players
Yara International
A Norwegian fertiliser producer whose nitrogen products are central to global crop nutrition and farm input supply.
Svein Tore Holsether
The chief executive of Yara International, who made the warning about delayed purchasing during the third-quarter earnings call.
The details
Fertiliser supply has been disrupted by reduced exports through the Strait of Hormuz, while widespread ammonia production curtailments in Europe were driven by high gas prices. Higher European gas costs, lower volumes and operational reliability issues also weighed on Yara's earnings. Brazilian imports of urea and ammonium sulphate have fallen over the same period.
Timeline
Third quarter 2026: Yara reported lower EBITDA amid higher gas costs.
2026: Nitrogen affordability improved compared with earlier in the year.
Northern Hemisphere application season: Significant fertiliser volumes are still to be bought before spring.
Health Landscape
Nitrogen fertiliser underpins the yields of many staple food crops, so changes in its supply and purchasing shape the food system that feeds populations worldwide. Delayed buying and supply constraints can therefore influence crop output and food costs well beyond the fertiliser industry itself.
Changes in fertiliser supply can affect the availability and price of staple foods over time, which matters for household food budgets. Readers interested in how farming inputs connect to what they eat may want to follow how food prices and crop supply develop in the coming season.
The takeaway
Fertiliser supply is a quiet link between farm inputs and the food on the table, so changes in purchasing are worth following. Keep an eye on food price reports for signs of how these supply pressures travel through to grocery costs.
What happens next
Significant fertiliser volumes remain to be bought before the Northern Hemisphere spring application season, so purchasing activity in the coming months will show whether the current delay persists.
Further reading
For a broader look at how farming inputs shape what ends up on the table, explore Organic Food.
Source note: This article includes information reported by AgNavigator.
