Fertilizer prices increase ahead of the start of crop season for farmers

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- The conflict in the Middle East has seen prices rise for gas-based products in the United States.

Along with gas prices being raised, the price of fertilizer has increased dramatically in the last few weeks.

This is a result of many products in fertilizers like nitrogen, phosphorus and potash being petroleum-based products.

Several farmers and individuals in the agriculture industry have felt the impact of prices being raised.

"What we're seeing now is fertilizer prices going up," said Tim Gach, Buchanan County Farm Bureau president. "It's probably getting close to three to four hundred dollars a ton over what we paid for last fall."

The prices for Anhydrous Ammonia Fertilizer have reached almost $1,000 per ton of product.

"To put fertilizer on, you're out there running a tractor in the field, and you're burning fuel," Gach said. "And diesel is over four dollars a gallon, so that gets expensive too."

Despite the prices being high for fertilizer, farmers across the country are gearing up to plant their crops over the next few weeks.