Fertilizer price hike to affect next rice harvest — farmers’ group

The impact of rising fertilizer prices driven by higher oil costs is expected to be felt in the next rice harvest, the Federation of Free Farmers Cooperative (FFFC) said.

FFFC national manager Raul Montemayor noted that fertilizer prices have already begun increasing.

“Yung inaani ngayon ay natanim noong mura pa ang abono. Ang latest report ay may mga presyo ng abono na nagdoble na,” he said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday.

(What is being harvested now was planted when fertilizer was still cheap. The latest report is that some fertilizer prices have already doubled.)

Montemayor said higher fertilizer prices would either raise farmers’ production costs or force them to reduce usage, which could lower yields.

“Kapag nagmahal ang abono, tataas ang gastos ng mga magsasaka o magtitipid sila sa paggamit nito, na magreresulta sa mas mahinang ani,” he said.

(When fertilizer prices go up, farmers’ costs increase or they cut back on usage, resulting in weaker harvests.)

The group said the effects may be felt within three to four months, during the next harvest cycle.

“Mararamdaman natin ‘yan after about three or four months kapag mag-aani na sila. Doon na sisipa ang epekto ng pagmahal ng krudo dahil maraming gastos ng magsasaka ang konektado sa fuel,” Montemayor said.

(We will feel that after about three or four months when they begin harvesting. By then, the impact of rising fuel prices will kick in, as many farming costs are tied to fuel.)

Earlier, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said fertilizer prices have doubled from $400 to $800 per ton amid the ongoing crisis.

He added that the government is in talks with India, Russia, and Belarus to secure sufficient fertilizer supply, while China has assured it will continue exporting fertilizers despite the Middle East crisis.—MCG, GMA Integrated News