AHDB to publish weekly fertiliser prices amid Middle East conflict

AHDB will publish weekly fertiliser price updates as rising energy costs linked to the Middle East conflict drive fresh uncertainty for UK farmers making key purchasing decisions.

The move comes as growers plan fertiliser buying and cropping strategies, with concerns mounting that prices could rise further in the coming weeks.

From Friday (27 March), the levy organisation will step up reporting from monthly to weekly updates for the first time, offering a clearer week-by-week view of price movements.

The decision follows requests from Farming Minister Angela Eagle and industry representatives for more frequent data during a period of heightened volatility.

The current crisis in the Gulf has triggered an energy price shock across global markets, with knock-on effects for agriculture.

Fertiliser production is highly dependent on gas, meaning shifts in energy markets can quickly feed through to farm input costs.

Rohit Kaushish, AHDB’s chief economist, said the organisation’s role is to provide farmers with reliable insight to support decision-making.

“We take great pride in providing independent, transparent and reliable market information to help levy payers make informed business decisions,” he said.

He added that fertiliser pricing will be a key factor in the months ahead.

“Given its importance to agricultural cost of production and the decisions being made by farmers in the months ahead, greater visibility on the fertiliser market is critical,” Mr Kaushish said.

The introduction of weekly updates is expected to provide a more detailed and responsive picture of how prices are shifting as events unfold.

“Weekly reporting serves to provide a more granular view on the market impacts which will support the responsiveness of both industry and policy makers,” he added.

AHDB already publishes fertiliser price data on a monthly basis using information from merchants and grower groups, but the shift to weekly reporting reflects the scale of current pressures.

Industry figures will be watching closely to see how quickly changes in global energy markets feed through to fertiliser costs on farm.

The move underlines the growing pressure on farm businesses as global events continue to drive volatility in input costs.