But right now, a war in the Middle East and China's fertiliser export restrictions are exposing a dangerous blind spot: their farms depend on imported fertiliser, and they have no plan for when it stops arriving. As much as fertiliser might seem like a background detail in farming, it isn't. Fertilisers supply the nutrients – mainly nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium – that help crops grow faster and animals feed better. New Zealand is one of the world's largest exporters of dairy, beef and veal. Australia exports around 70% of what it grows. Without fertiliser, those exports shrink. Without exports, the entire economy will feel the impacts. For these neighbouring nations and other major agricultural players, the big problem is that fertiliser production is concentrated in just a handful of countries. More than 80% of countries import at least 75% of the fertiliser they use. That means a disruption anywhere in the supply chain – whether from a war, a trade ban, a blocked shipping ...