FAO Warns Fertilizer Price Spike Could Devastate Afghanistan's Wheat Harvest

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned that rising fertilizer prices on global markets could severely impact Afghanistan's 2027 wheat harvest, affecting millions of people's food security.

According to FAO, disruptions caused by the Middle East crisis have driven up the cost of chemical fertilizers, particularly diammonium phosphate (DAP) and urea fertilizers, which are crucial for wheat production in Afghanistan's low-yield soils.

The organization cautions that farmers may be forced to cut back on fertilizer use or reduce the area under cultivation due to the high costs, leading to lower production, food shortages at the household level, and increased indebtedness among farming families.

Richard Trenchard, FAO's representative in Afghanistan, stated that after a difficult drought year, farmers had hoped for a better season but the spike in fertilizer prices has taken that chance away from many needy families.