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Fertilizer prices will have lasting impact on food security

A recent study suggests high energy and fertilizer prices will have the greatest impact on food security in the coming years.

European researchers modeled how export restrictions in Ukraine and Russia combined with rising production costs from energy and fertilizer would impact food costs.  Combined, they say prices could be more than 80 percent higher next year than 2021 levels.

As a result, researchers say more than 100 million people could be undernourished with the greatest impacts in Africa and the Middle East.

Nearly three-quarters of the increases in food costs were tied to energy and fertilizer price hikes. 

Authors say while the Black Sea Grain Initiative reestablishes food exports in the region, the impact of fertilizer prices is far greater on food costs.