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Pesticide industry battling supply chain challenges, working to ensure 2022 availability
The CEO of CropLife America says while pesticide dealers are seeing higher than average prices and supply chain disruptions, they are doing their best to make sure product is available for the 2022 growing season.
Chris Novak tells Brownfield the Texas freeze last winter and Hurricane Ida shut down oil refiners who make some of the ingredients for common pesticides.
“Take those two weather related incidents and then throw in all of the challenges with arrival of port containers, all of the materials we are purchasing from overseas, the trucker shortages, all of those things we know are going to challenge farmers in terms of access and pricing for products this year.”
He says they have worked with EPA to allow substitutions for those ingredients to which help ease their supply issues.
“I think that we should have product available. I do understand prices have climbed recently from a supply and demand standpoint, but I know that my companies are working hard to ensure farmers have the product they need.”
He says thankfully pesticide prices have not risen to the extreme of fertilizer, but it is clear supply chain disruptions are impacting all ag inputs.
Brownfield interviewed Novak during the National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s recent Trade Talk event.
