Mbabane-Local farmers are bracing for sharply higher production costs ahead of the 2026-2027 ploughing season, the Eswatini National Agriculture Union warning that the escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are already feeding through into global fertilizer.
Chief Executive Officer of the Union Tammy Dlamini said the industry is facing the possibility of significant price shocks, with fertilizer costs already steeply on international markets.
“We might have record increase, we haven’t seen the prices landed, but fertilizers such as urea-based have increased by about 45 percent, while ammonia-based fertilizers increased by 43 percent,” he said. “That is just a port level, before Inland transport costs, we anticipate that we might have fertilizer shortage,” he explained.
His comments come as the World Bank warns that continued disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East could push fertilizer prices up by as much 31 percent globally.
The conflict involving Iran has intensified pressure on energy and shipping routes, further compounding costs for import dependent agricultural systems such as Eswatini where farmers rely heavily on fertilizer and fuel sourced through regional supply chains, particularly via South Africa.
Dlamini cautioned that sustained price increases could force farmers to scale back production. “If input costs keep rising, farmers may reduce the area they plant, apply less fertilizer, or delay crucial field operations. If the base of fertilizer supply is stuck, and not able to move around, then we might have a problem,” he said.
The agricultural sector remains a key pillar of Eswatini’s economy, with exports such as sugar and forestry contributing significantly to foreign exchange earnings and revenue.
Dlamini urged for early intervention measures to stabilize input supply chains ahead of the new season, stressing that safeguarding production capacity is critical. “When the shocks happen, distribution is important, but it is even better to prevent the erosion of the production base,” he said.
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