High phosphate prices put food security at risk: The case for nutrient recovery

Climate Resilience Water & Agrifood Nutrient Platform Water & Crisis

Contact

Jorn Baan Hofman

Project Officer

+31 70 304 3707

j.baanhofman@nwp.nl

Phosphate fertilisers are vital to global food security. But rising prices and geopolitical tensions are threatening their availability and, with it, agricultural productivity worldwide. By embracing nutrient recovery, as advocated by the Nutrient Platform, dependency on vulnerable global supply chains is reduced, soil health is enhanced, and food systems are strengthened against future shocks.

Why are phosphate prices so high?

The phosphate market is highly concentrated. Morocco, China, and the United States control the majority of global phosphate rock reserves. This concentration makes global supply chains vulnerable to disruptions.

Geopolitical factors have only heightened this vulnerability. The war in Ukraine and subsequent trade restrictions from major fertiliser exporters like Russia have disrupted global supply. Meanwhile, rising energy prices have increased production costs, and export controls by countries such as China have further restricted availability. The result: sustained high prices, even during periods of lower demand.

Phosphate and food security: a direct link

Phosphate fertilisers are indispensable for healthy crop growth. Without them, soils degrade and harvests shrink – particularly in low- and middle-income countries where farmers have limited financial buffers. As prices rise, farmers are forced to use less fertiliser, reducing yields and raising the risk of food insecurity.

Higher production costs are passed on to consumers. When food becomes more expensive, vulnerable populations are hit hardest, exacerbating global inequality and hunger.

Toward Solutions: Transparency and Circularity

According to an article on the Food Security Portal, the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) advocates for improved transparency in fertiliser markets. Access to reliable data on pricing and supply allows governments and producers to anticipate and respond to market shocks.

But long-term resilience requires more than transparency. It requires a fundamental shift in how we manage nutrients.

Circular Solutions from the Netherlands

The Nutrient Platform – a Dutch cross-sector coalition of corporations, knowledge institutes and (semi) government bodies – promotes the recovery and reuse of nutrients such as phosphorus from residual streams like wastewater and manure. Hosted by NWP, the Nutrient Platform strives to close the nutrient cycle and create a sustainable market for recycled nutrients. Recovered nutrients that are reintroduced into agriculture, offer a sustainable alternative to imported fertilisers.

By embracing nutrient recovery, the Nutrient Platform and NWP reduce dependency on vulnerable global supply chains, enhance soil health, and strengthen food systems against future shocks. Both organisations embody Dutch leadership in integrated water and resource management.

Conclusion

Soaring phosphate prices and geopolitical disruptions pose a real threat to food security. The solution lies in both short-term market transparency and long-term systemic change.

By recovering valuable nutrients from waste, creating awareness on nutrient issues, and developing markets for recycled nutrients, organisations like the Nutrient Platform and the Netherlands Water Partnership are helping secure a more sustainable and food-secure future.