Fertilizer Imports from the Strait of Hormuz War Zone

Urea is a key ingredient in the fertilizers used by growers worldwide. Its availability is especially crucial in the Northern Hemisphere during spring planting season.

Overall, U.S. ports handled 2,834,534 metric tons of imported urea last year. By far the leading import port has long been the Port of New Orleans, which serves fertilizer users through the South and Midwest. Last year, the Louisiana gateway handled 60.8% of all urea imported by sea. The second largest urea importer was the Oregon’s Port of Portland, which last year handled 13.1% of all U.S. seaborne urea imports. No other USWC port handled a statistically significant volume of trade, although California’s Port of Stockton did edge up close to a 1.0% share last year.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which an estimated 50% of the world’s urea shipments must pass, has spiked fertilizer bills for farmers throughout everywhere, including those in the Western states who have been accustomed to receiving this vital input via U.S. West Coast ports. According to U.S. trade statistics, 63.0% of the 421,723 metric tons of urea used in fertilizer production that were imported through West Coast ports last year originated in two nations, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.