Russian invasion of Ukraine impacting farmers with fertilizer

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Brett Engelman says as much as he wants to properly fertilize his almond crop, increased prices likely won't allow for that this season.

"We may just take a year off and let the trees be the trees that they are," he said.

It's an expense that's slowly been rising due to supply chain issues across most industries -- now made worse amid conflict.

Russia is one of the largest producers of fertilizer in the world. As the country continues to invade Ukraine, farmers all across the globe are seeing prices double -- even quadruple.

"There's a good likelihood that there's just not going to be enough on the worldwide market," says Ryan Jacobsen with the Fresno County Farm Bureau. "Let alone with the prices, you just won't be able to find it."

Jacobsen says impacts will range from farms to front lawns.

While you may see prices at the grocery store continue to rise, Engelman says most of that money is going to the middleman who transported it.

"If you are paying more at the store for almonds, that doesn't mean I am making more money," he said.

Engelman says paying more for products that are required to farm, like fuel, will simply cut into his bottom line.

"We are early in the season," Jacobsen said. "There is still a lot of growing to come, so we are expecting this to compound as we go farther on."