These are uncertain times for those who work the land for a living with the cost of fertilizer and fuel much higher than last year because of the war in Iran.
Andy Wright, the vice-president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture, says their fertilizer consists of three main components – phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. It’s the nitrogen which has doubled in cost.
He says farmers may need some help from government to keep food costs under control as it’s not only the fertilizer but the cost of fuel for virtually every aspect of agriculture.
Last year was a tough one for the sector with wildfires and drought on parts of the island but Wright says farmers are eternal optimists.
“There’s a fuel cost to bring that out of the ground and across the ground to the farm. So, we’re getting hit with fuel surcharges, and then our fuel costs to spread that fertilizer. We’re hearing, (that) one of our suppliers has spoken to a colleague about fuel surcharges of 200 per cent just to get it here.”
