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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Joanna Partridge

The three Fs: why UK farmers fear the soaring cost of fertiliser, feed and fuel

Dark clouds behind Matt Culley, a crop farmer, in Hampshire
Matt Culley, a crop farmer in Hampshire, doubts he’ll be able to plant wheat next season. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The Guardian

A tall fibreglass tank is under lock and key on Matt Culley’s arable farm in Hampshire. No wonder: the fertiliser contained inside has become an increasingly precious commodity.

The cost of synthetic fertiliser, necessary for growing many crops and grass, began to climb last autumn when the price of gas required to produce it began to rise steeply. The conflict in Ukraine has only exacerbated the situation.

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