Expensive fertilizers endanger farmers

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has warned that high power and fertilizer prices could threaten food supplies in China, Bloomberg reports. The commission has called on authorities to ensure stable prices to guarantee fertilizer supplies for farmers. Usually, natural gas is the main feedstock for nitrogen producers. However, in China, the majority of producers use coal. Fertilizer makers are vulnerable to Beijing’s strict policies on air pollution and environmental protection, Bloomberg said.