Glyphosate, Glufosinate Shortage Today; Are Fungicides and Insecticides Next?

Planting season is being met with major supply concerns. As farmers work to get the 2021 crop in the ground, some inputs are facing severe strains.

“The biggest concern we have today is it's April 22,” says Jeff Bunting, Growmark’s crop protection division manager. “A lot of things should be already in place or staged for use in 2021, but we're still kind of waiting on supplies to come in from the manufacturers.”

Growmark, a large ag retailer with a footprint stretching from New York to Iowa, says the two main issues are with glyphosate and glufosinate.

“There are tech problems getting elements in from China, there's logistics, there's production issues in manufacturing,” he adds. “In fact, there's a shortage on bottles and caps and cardboard boxes.”

RaboResearch says China is a major reason why agricultural chemistries are facing such a supply strain.

“There's a huge market exposure to China, so this comes across the formulation, it comes across the active ingredients and it also comes across the intermediates that are used to produce the synthetic,” says Sam Taylor, executive director, RaboResearch 

For Iowa State University’s weed specialist, the issue is coming at time of year when chemistries are in high demand.

“It's just the timing of it,” says Bob Hartzler, Iowa State professor, extension weed scientist. “If the growers knew this and knew the shortages were present last fall, they could have worked with their suppliers and come up with good alternatives.”

Now, retailers and University experts are encouraging farmers to prepare for a “Plan B.”

“First, growers need to talk to their retailers and see what's available,” says Hartzler. “I mean, we do have lots of alternatives, fortunately. And those alternatives are not as effective. They take a lot more management. So, it's really critical to determine what is available to know how best to utilize those programs.”

As the backlog of product comes at a time when growers are spraying fields, the supply chain requires more than an easy fix.

“I think you need to look at the supply chain,” says Taylor. “So, how long it takes to get produced, to the ports, across the oceans and then into the retail channel. I think in reality, you're talking about a lot of months. I think that anything that is being produced now is not going to really make it into the supply chain for this coming season.”

As Growmark works to find solutions for farmers seeing shortages, the situation may not be resolved soon.  With some in the industry saying this supply issue could last 12 to 18 months.

“My big concern right now is the refill opportunities on bulk loads and refilling bulk tanks for the post application,” says Bunting. “Again, that's kind of the challenge we have right now. Is the supplier or the vendors going to be able to refill those in timely fashion to meet the demand and the rapid pace of planting and spraying that we have that we have today?”

Work continues to take place to create new plans, as the shortage may hit plant health products next. 

“On our horizon right now, it really goes back to the fungicides and insecticides,” adds Bunting.

Learn more about the supply strains.