Fertilizer prices surged over the past week amid the expanding conflict in the Middle East. Urea prices in New Orleans jumped 21 percent from the previous week to $570 per short ton on Friday, according to Bloomberg Green Markets. That was the highest price since October 2022. UAN prices jumped 22 percent during the same period to $392.50 per ton.

Global fertilizer prices have firmed since the effective closing of the Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping route for nutrient exports in the Middle East. Fertilizer supplies are expected to experience large disruptions. India, Pakistan, and Qatar have already shut down some fertilizer production due to halted shipments of liquified natural gas, a key nitrogen fertilizer ingredient, Bloomberg reported.

Over a third of urea imports come from the Middle East, according to The Fertilizer Institute. U.S. Census data showed that the Middle East accounted for nearly two-thirds of phosphorus fertilizer imports in 2025. About a third of the shipments came from Saudi Arabia.

Closer to home, Bloomberg reported that the Justice Department has been investigating Nutrien Ltd. and Mosaic Co. for potential price scheming in fertilizer prices. CF Industry Holdings Inc., Koch Inc., and Norway’s Yara International ASA, are also part of the investigation. The key priority is addressing high input costs, particularly fertilizer.

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