Urea Prices in Ukraine Rise by 65%: Farmers Seek Alternatives to Fertilizers
The price of urea on the Ukrainian market has sharply increased, reaching 45,000 UAH per ton, which is 65% higher than last year. This price spike has created significant difficulties for farmers amid the spring planting campaign, forcing them to actively seek alternative sources of mineral fertilizers.
This is reported by AgroReview
Fertilizer Shortages and the Impact of International Events
In the first quarter of 2026, the volume of fertilizer imports to Ukraine amounted to 1.2 million tons, which is 13% more than in the same period last year. However, this increase has not resolved the shortage issue: the deficit of NPK fertilizers is about 100,000 tons, while phosphorus fertilizers face a shortage of 70–80,000 tons. Urea has seen the highest price increase, with its cost rising by 43% just since the end of February. The main reason for this price surge has been the war in the Middle East, which has led to the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz—a strategic transport hub through which 25% of the world’s ammonia and 30% of urea pass.
Production Cuts and the Search for Alternatives
Domestic fertilizer production has also suffered a significant blow. In Ukraine, the production of ammonium nitrate has halved over the past two years due to regular attacks on infrastructure and power supply disruptions. The only producer of urea remains the Cherkasy plant “Azot.”
Amid shortages and high prices, farmers are turning to alternative fertilizers. The most stable segment remains ammonium sulfate: here, prices have increased moderately, and no shortages are observed. Moreover, when calculated per unit of nitrogen, ammonium sulfate is 2–8% cheaper than urea and ammonium nitrate. Producers are also using ammonium nitrate, but its prices remain unstable.
The Ukrainian Agrarian Confederation warned that due to the fertilizer shortage, farmers may lose up to 20% of their harvest. The association has appealed to the government to lift the import duty on nitrogen fertilizers until the end of 2026.