Fertiliser prices top 1,000 baht as Middle East conflict hits supply

2026-03-11 - 05:23

KHON KAEN — 11 March 2026, Fertiliser supplies in Khon Kaen are beginning to run low as prices surge past 1,000 baht per sack, with retailers citing the impact of conflict in the Middle East. Farmers are responding by switching to lower-grade fertiliser formulas to reduce costs. At 10:00 on Tuesday, rep orters surveyed fertiliser shops across Khon Kaen province after early signs that the fighting in the Middle East was affecting supply chains. Prices were found to be rising, and some shops had already run out of certain products. At Sue Trong Agriculture Ltd. Partnership, located at 86 Khon Kaen–Khok Tha Road in Sila subdistrict, Mueang district, stocks of urea fertiliser formula 46-0-0 had fallen to fewer than 10 sacks, with no new shipment expected soon after the manufacturer reportedly halted deliveries. Store manager Nichapat Wongsuk said the fertiliser, widely used by farmers, had seen sharp price increases. “Previously, urea 46-0-0 sold for around 800–900 baht per sack. Now it is about 1,000 baht per sack, and more importantly, we can barely find any to sell. At the shop we have fewer than 10 sacks left,” she said. Nichapat Wongsuk, manager of Sue Trong Agriculture Ltd. Partnership in Khon Kaen, says fertiliser prices have surged past 1,000 baht per sack as supplies tighten Farmers had expected prices to rise but not to this extent, she added. Many have begun changing their purchasing behaviour by switching from 46-0-0 to lower formulas such as 30-0-0 or 25-0-0, which are cheaper. “These formulas cost about 200–300 baht less per sack. Farmers may add extra nutrients to keep rice plants green for longer, but the effect is usually slower compared with the 46-0-0 formula they normally use,” she said. Nichapat said suppliers had already notified the shop of further price increases. Urea fertiliser is expected to rise by 100–200 baht per sack, while other fertilisers may increase by 20–30 baht, and urea substitutes by 50–100 baht, due to the Middle East conflict. Some farmers have complained about the higher costs and are buying only what they need or switching to cheaper formulas to reduce expenses. “In all the years we have sold fertiliser, this is the most expensive it has ever been,” she said. “I feel sorry for farmers because fertiliser prices are rising while rice prices remain low. Many worry that selling their rice will not cover the investment they have put in.”