On Andy Corriher’s farm in North Carolina, planting and preparations are underway for his corn and soybean crops — but fertiliser costs have surged on war in the Middle East, and orders he placed weeks ago have yet to arrive.

The 47-year-old is among US farmers facing a double whammy of soaring fertiliser and diesel prices after US-Israeli strikes on Iran triggered Tehran’s blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for such shipments.

“This time of year is when the majority of fertiliser is put out in this country,” Corriher told AFP.

Russell Hedrick, who farms up to 1,000 acres including corn and soybeans around Hickory, North Carolina, said around 75pc of his fertiliser purchases were made after prices rocketed.

Asked if the war has changed perceptions of Trump, Marshville-based farmer Derrick Austin said: “I’m starting to question some of his reasoning.”

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