Input costs have put a big dent in farmer profits over the last year. This is why fertilizer pros say that growers have a lot of decisions to make between now and the next growing season.
According to Josh Linville, StoneX Fertilizer Director, “Farmers, of course, are struggling with low grain prices; that has been the single biggest conversation out there, is that fertilizer prices are high, but the manufacturer is like, ‘It was high before they bought it.’ Well, that’s right, but corn has $4, $5, $6 a bushel, and today we’re looking at something a three in front of it, so the cash flow is significantly different, which is going to change how the farmer moves to the marketplace. You know, when you look at what we expect for next year, we’re still forecasting 91.5 million acres of corn for 2025. That begets a certain amount of phosphate, potash, and nitrogen, but that does not mean they have to step in early. So that is changing things.”
Linville says that there is a lot of factors when considering early fertilizer purchases, with geopolitical issues being top of mind.
However, he says that there is still a lot of time between now and spring planting and the situation could change.
