LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – Central Florida is already seeing historically high prices at the pump, but economists warn that those aren’t the only prices being driven higher by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

What You Need To Know

  •  Fertilizer prices are up to 40% higher that they were a few months ago

  • Black Bear Golf Club in Eustis maintains 170 acres of turf on its property

  • Current fertilizer prices would be about $1200 per ton, but they locked in their rates at $890 per ton last fall

Economists say fertilizer prices are up to 40% higher than they were just several months back and the ongoing war will only tip the scales further.

They say, in short, what’s happening with fertilizer prices is a trickle-down effect from what’s happening with fuel prices, because there is a lot of fuel involved in the transportation, production and shipping of fertilizer, in particular.​

Roger Adams is an avid golf instructor who feels at home on the greens of the Black Bear Golf Club in Eustis.

Lately though, he’s been worried about keeping things green.

“We’re talking about 170 acres of turf out here that we’re maintaining," he said. "So it’s everything from fertilizer to manpower to machines, which, you know, you get into gas and all that too."

He and his wife locked in their fertilizer rates this past fall at $890 per ton.

They’re glad they did, because now they say the price would be more like $1,200 per ton.

“If we didn’t pre-book it, we’d be paying a lot more," Adams said. "And, unfortunately, we’ll probably be paying a lot more in another six months trying to get set up for the following year."

He said that if there’s one side effect of the past 14 months he’s grateful for, it’s heightened attention on his industry.

However, with rising gas and fertilizer costs exacerbated by the conflict in Europe, he just hopes he can offset costs, while keeping quality for his members on par.