Polish nitrogen fertilizer prices rise 18.7% in two months as imports retreat
Polish nitrogen fertilizer prices rose by an average of 18.7% over two months after conflict around the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz drove up raw-material costs. Meanwhile, mineral fertilizer imports fell 38.8% year on year in January-May 2026 as CBAM and additional duties altered competition in the market.
Nitrogen fertilizer prices remain elevated
Polish farmers faced an average 18.7% increase in nitrogen fertilizer prices over two months following the outbreak of the crisis around the Persian Gulf and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Arkadiusz Zalewski of Poland’s Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics. Farmer.pl reported that prices jumped 13.1% month on month in March and gained another 4.9% in April as higher global raw-material costs reached the Polish market.
Retail prices were relatively stable in May and June, but this followed the earlier increases rather than a return to cheaper nitrogen. In June, nitrogen fertilizers cost an average of 20.2% more than at the start of 2026 and 17.5% more than a year earlier. Urea with a urease inhibitor recorded the largest rise, gaining 28.3% from the beginning of the year and exceeding PLN 3,300 per tonne. Calcium ammonium nitrate rose 17.6%, while ammonium nitrate increased 14.8%. Over the same period, European TTF gas prices advanced by about 60%.
CBAM and duties reduce import volumes
Poland imported 1.41 million tonnes of mineral fertilizers in the first five months of 2026, down 38.8% year on year, Top Agrar reported. The publication linked the decline to full implementation of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, additional duties and inventories accumulated at the end of 2025. Nitrogen fertilizer imports fell 56.3% to 486,400 tonnes, their lowest level in 11 years. Imports of compound fertilizers declined 38.9%, while potash fertilizer volumes slipped 3.5%.
Exports reached 1.18 million tonnes worth €575 million during the same period. Ukraine remained the largest destination, receiving 313,100 tonnes valued at €148 million, mainly compound fertilizers. Germany ranked second with 271,500 tonnes worth €115 million, dominated by nitrogen fertilizers. The figures show that Poland retained substantial outbound trade even as regulatory costs and duties sharply restricted incoming nitrogen products.
Urea, phosphate costs and EU support
International urea prices rebounded in early July, reaching $448 per tonne FOB in Egypt and $471 per tonne FOB in Algeria. Top Agrar attributed the increase primarily to European demand, including a French subsidy program limited to nitrogen fertilizers containing urea. Farmers nevertheless remained reluctant to accept higher offers while concentrating on the harvest, leaving fertilizer trading uncertain.
Pressure is also spreading beyond nitrogen. Farmer.pl reported that triple superphosphate prices rose almost 7% between the start of the year and June, while ammonium phosphate gained 8.5% to nearly PLN 3,900 per tonne. The EU has launched €540 million in emergency support for farmers affected by fertilizer and energy costs, of which Poland is due to receive €66.633 million, the second-largest allocation after France. Separately, the European Parliament’s ENVI Committee backed extending CBAM from six sectors to 457 product codes and proposed allowing fertilizer producers and their customers to access a €600 million Temporary Decarbonisation Fund for 2027-2029. The proposal remains subject to negotiations after a plenary vote scheduled for September, with final rules expected around the turn of 2026 and 2027.
