Nitrogen Fertilizer Shortage Complicates Spring Grain and Oilseed Planting in Ukraine
Ukrainian farmers are facing a significant shortage of nitrogen fertilizers in March 2026, which may negatively impact the yield of spring grains and oilseeds. According to experts, Ukraine’s total annual requirement for mineral fertilizers exceeds 5 million tons, but for this year’s spring planting, it is necessary to provide 0.7–0.9 million tons of active substance or about 2–2.5 million tons in physical mass.
This is reported by AgroReview
Shortage of Nitrogen Fertilizers and Key Risks for Harvest
Experts are particularly concerned about the acute shortage of nitrogen fertilizers, especially the lack of urea-ammonium mixtures and ammonium nitrate. Estimates indicate that the shortage of ammonium nitrate may reach 150–170 thousand tons. Domestic fertilizer production is currently at only 20–50% of pre-war levels, and imports are complicated by security and logistical restrictions, especially on maritime routes.
Experts emphasize that the shortage will primarily affect crops with high nitrogen requirements. The greatest risk of yield loss is observed for spring wheat, corn, sunflower, as well as sugar beets and potatoes.
“Spring wheat, corn, and sunflower will suffer the most. These crops traditionally require intensive nitrogen fertilization in the spring, and the yield decreases particularly sharply due to its deficiency. A lesser impact of nitrogen deficiency may be observed in other crops, including spring barley, oats, and rye. In other words, due to the prolonged fertilizer issue, the yields of priority spring crops (grains and oilseeds) may weaken the most, and their shortfall – depending on the conditions and timing of fertilizer supply – may reach 10–20% or more,” commented Zakharchuk.
Logistical Problems and Necessary Actions
To stabilize the situation, experts emphasize the need to unblock maritime logistics routes as soon as possible, which would allow for the rapid procurement of ammonium nitrate and close the deficit of 170 thousand tons. However, even such measures will not fully resolve the problem due to the instability and danger of maritime transport.
Among the priority steps, comprehensive increases in both imports and domestic production of nitrogen-containing fertilizers are mentioned, as current supplies are insufficient to compensate for the deficit during the peak period for the agricultural sector.