N.B. farmers worry about seeding season as fertilizer costs soar

Farmers across the Atlantic region say their operating costs have increased significantly with fertilizer imports from Russia under sanction, and some are looking for alternatives. 

"We're pretty frustrated with the whole thing this year, it's really stressful," said Brian Adams, owner of Hilldale Potato Inc., in New Denmark, near Grand Falls. 

Adams said he paid about $700 per tonne of fertilizer last year and is being quoted about $1,300 per tonne this year. 

"All costs are up this year, machine repairs, fertilizer or sprays," he said. "It's going to bring our cost of production up dramatically." 

Adams estimates that his operating costs overall will increase by over 60 per cent this year.  

The Atlantic provinces rely heavily on fertilizer imports from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. 

Fertilizer Canada CEO Karen Proud said about 85 to 90 per cent of all nitrogen fertilizers used in the eastern provinces come from Russia. 

Sanctions currently imposed on Russia have hindered the availability of these materials, including potash, nitrogen and phosphorus across Canada, she said.

"We were already facing a pretty tight season with fertilizer supply, this has just exacerbated that," said Proud.

Farmers across the country are desperately trying to source fertilizer supply elsewhere, she said.

"We're concerned given that we're only four to six weeks away from seeding season". 

Proud said about 30 to 40 shipments of fertilizer were already en route to Canada when the sanctions were imposed on Russia. 

But only those that had already reached Canadian waters were allowed to dock and the rest had a more dire fate. 

"Those would now be subject to the sanctions and either wouldn't be able to arrive at all or, if they did, would have the 35 per cent tariff on them," said Proud.