By Brent Barnett (Brownfield)
The vice president of fertilizer for Stone X Group says disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz remain the biggest driver of global fertilizer prices.
Josh Linville tells Brownfield, “We do see ships that are slipping through with fertilizer. We’re seeing manufacturers in that part of the world that are getting some exports through different channels, but it’s still far from what normal is. We’re still fighting with the high price of nitrogen products and phosphate products.”
He says phosphate prices are his biggest concern as farmers finalize input purchases for 2027.
“When you look at it, phosphate is the one that moved up the most. Phosphate is the one that didn’t reset this summer. Phosphate is the one that widely out of bounds versus where grain values are. And what have farmers been telling the industry all summer long? Rightfully so, ‘I’m not going to use it.’”
Linville says he’s seen a shift in farmer buying behavior as margins remain tight.
“You start to look at 2026 financials; they are not good. 2027 doesn’t look very good either. That means farmers need to sit on their hands and hope that things improve. Unfortunately, we have not seen that. It’s too late for that to happen for the fall. Maybe there’s a chance that next spring we see some relief, but I highly doubt it at this point.”
He urges farmers to stay in close contact with fertilizer suppliers throughout the winter.
