1. But rock phosphate is a finite resource and the biggest supplies are mined in politically unstable places, posing risks to the many countries that have little or no reserves.
2. Phosphate use has increased in the last 50 years as the global population has grown and the date when it is estimated to run out gets closer with each new analysis of demand.
3. With some scientists projecting that moment could come as soon as a few decades’ time.
4. “Phosphate supply is potentially a very big problem,” said Martin Blackwell, at Rothamsted Research, an agricultural research centre in the UK, and lead author of a new study. “Currently the population is growing and we are going to need more food.”
5. “In a few years' time, it could be a political issue with some countries effectively controlling the production of food by having control of rock phosphate supplies,” Blackwell said.
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