Fertilizer Shortage Threatens Afghanistan's Winter Wheat Crop

The 2026 Middle East Crisis has caused a sharp increase in fertilizer prices globally, leaving Afghanistan vulnerable to production losses. The country relies heavily on imported fertilizers due to its naturally low soil fertility. With winter wheat being its principal staple crop and accounting for approximately 61% of annual fertilizer demand, the rising costs threaten food security.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), farmers are likely to reduce application rates or forgo planting altogether due to unaffordable fertilizers. This would lead to lower wheat production, reduced household food availability, and increased debt among smallholder farmers, particularly female-headed households, returnees, and food-insecure rural families.

The FAO is appealing for funding to enable vulnerable farming households to access the necessary fertilizers during the 2026/27 winter wheat planting season. This critical period will determine national wheat production in 2027, with potentially severe consequences of inaction including lower food production, increased farmer debt, and reduced household food availability.