Producer Nutrien says operations in Florida and Georgia not affected by tropical storm

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Still churning over parts of the southeastern US tropical storm Debby has kept the fertilizer market watching carefully with producer Nutrien saying that to this point it has not been affected by the heavy rain and winds.

With operations in Florida and Georgia the producer undertook emergency plans ahead of the initial landfall as a hurricane on 5 August in the northern part of Florida. It has since trek across Georgia and into South Carolina with storm impacts extending a considerable distance.

“Our facilities in Florida and Georgia were not impacted in any material way by Tropical Storm Debby,” said a Nutrien spokesperson.

“We have emergency preparedness plans in place that were followed, and we will continue to monitor the storm’s path while taking necessary measures to protect the safety of our people and the integrity of our operations.”

The fertilizer industry was initially concerned that Debby could directly strike the key hub of Tampa, Florida, which is vital as the city is home to both corporate offices and trading operations but has product storage, shipping and other logistical assets.

Tampa did see heavy rainfall with some localized flooding but did avoid any significant damage.

One concern will be how much crop damage has been experienced with a substantial amount of acreage in the path of the storm.

As the crops in some of these areas are fairly mature the excessive rain and wind could cause substantial damage and result in a decrease in eventual yield. That lost income could see farmers become more hesitant on fresh fertilizer commitments.