Farmers fear future as fertiliser and fuel bills soar
BBCArable farmers and vegetable growers say the soaring cost of fertiliser is putting enormous pressure on them.
A third of the world's fertiliser chemicals are shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been severely disrupted due to the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
Adding to the pressures being faced by farmers, red diesel prices have rocketed by more than 50% in recent weeks.
This week Chancellor Rachel Reeves cut fuel duty by more than a third until the end of the year.
While this move has been welcomed by the National Farmers' Union (NFU), its chairman wants more support for members during the current "crisis" facing the sector.
On his farm in Tarleton, Lancashire, Jon Forshaw is checking on his field of cauliflowers.
His business H&P Ascroft supplies Booths supermarkets with a range of vegetables.
The crop is looking good, but for it to continue growing it needs fertiliser.
The price of that, he says, is now at eye-watering levels.
"Our fertiliser costs have gone up by 26%," he says. "It's a cost we can't stop as we have to get a harvestable crop."
Jon explains that the cauliflowers were planted before the conflict in the Middle East and once they are in the ground, you have to commit to growing them.
Put simply: no fertiliser, no crop.
Fears over supplies forced many growers to buy fertiliser earlier than usual.
"It is pretty much killing us at the minute," Jon laments. "And then you've got diesel which has gone up 60% for us.
"Cash flow is very, very tight."
Farmers always plan months in advance, so critical decisions are being made now about next season's planting.
"We are going to cut back, we're going to have to because costs are just too high." he says.
"There has definitely got to be a price increase or there's going to have to be a lot of thought whether a lot of British growers carry on growing different types of crops."
Over in Prescot, Merseyside, arable farmer Olly Harrison is also feeling the strain after a hike in input prices.
After a wet spring, his field of barley is turning a corner and looking good.
It was a different story last year.
In fact, the weather was so poor in 2025 that Olly did not bother using up his fertiliser on crops that would not flourish.
As a result, he had bags of fertiliser left over to use this year.
While that is paying dividends this year, Olly reveals: "I've been stung for next year -these bags have been kept over, that's why they're so dusty.
"I paid £315 a tonne for it. I've just ordered some now for 2027 and it's cost me £615 a tonne.
"And when you think we probably use around 150 tonnes a year, it's a massive increase in costs."
He says this is not sustainable unless wheat prices increase.
"Brazil has got some dry weather, so their corn isn't growing," he explains.
"America and Australia couldn't get fertiliser or fuel so their planting is down, so fingers crossed the wheat market is going to rise and that should mitigate some of the cost.
"But we still need a good season next year.
"Let's hope we don't get a drought next spring otherwise we've completely lost out."
The rise in red diesel prices has also impacted Olly's business.
"Our fuel bill for last month was £20,000," he says. "It would normally have been about £9,000.
"It's unbelievable, really, how fast things have changed."
Olly feels lucky he has diversified in response to the challenging market conditions.
"You look at your accounts and think 'Why am I bothering farming?'
"It's completely undervalued. If things haven't improved by September there would be more profit selling the fertiliser on, rather than growing wheat."
Jon Forshaw agrees that people in agriculture feel their sector is undervalued.
"From cereals to livestock, everyone you speak to is feeling pretty downtrodden at the minute," he says.
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