Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SKW Stickstoffwerke Piesteritz GmbH, Carsten Franzke speaks during an AFP interview at the SKW agro-chemical plant in Piesteritz near Wittenberg, northern Germany, on April 9, 2026. As the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to roil the global economy, one German town has been scrambling to help make up the shortfall in essential supplies of fertilisers. Wittenberg, better known to many as a cradle of the Protestant Reformation, is also home to a chemical plant founded in 1915, in the midst of World War One. At SKW's sprawling 220-hectare site, a 23-kilometer rail transports urea, ammonia and finished fertilisers, destined for sites across Germany and also elsewhere in Europe. SKW is Germany's largest producer of urea, an essential component of fertilisers. The plant has been running at full capacity to try to make up the shortfall in supply from the Hormuz blockade. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP via Getty Images)

TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY LEA PERNELLE A multi-conveyor unit operates in an unprocessed urea (unkonditionierter Harnstoff) storage facility at the SKW Piesteritz agro-chemical plant in Piesteritz, near Wittenberg on April 9, 2026.. As the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to roil the global economy, one German town has been scrambling to help make up the shortfall in essential supplies of fertilisers. Wittenberg, better known to many as a cradle of the Protestant Reformation, is also home to a chemical plant founded in 1915, in the midst of World War One. At SKW's sprawling 220-hectare site, a 23-kilometer rail transports urea, ammonia and finished fertilisers, destined for sites across Germany and also elsewhere in Europe. SKW is Germany's largest producer of urea, an essential component of fertilisers. The plant has been running at full capacity to try to make up the shortfall in supply from the Hormuz blockade. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP via Getty Images)

Pigs are pictured in their stable at the farmstead of farmer Gerhard Geywitz in Bermaringen, southwestern Germany, on April 29, 2026. The farmer runs a fermentation plant with the animals' slurry and plant materials and produces renewable energy for his farmstead. (Photo by THOMAS KIENZLE / AFP via Getty Images)

TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY LEA PERNELLE A multi-conveyor unit operates in an unprocessed urea (unkonditionierter Harnstoff) storage facility at the SKW Piesteritz agro-chemical plant in Piesteritz, near Wittenberg on April 9, 2026.. As the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to roil the global economy, one German town has been scrambling to help make up the shortfall in essential supplies of fertilisers. Wittenberg, better known to many as a cradle of the Protestant Reformation, is also home to a chemical plant founded in 1915, in the midst of World War One. At SKW's sprawling 220-hectare site, a 23-kilometer rail transports urea, ammonia and finished fertilisers, destined for sites across Germany and also elsewhere in Europe. SKW is Germany's largest producer of urea, an essential component of fertilisers. The plant has been running at full capacity to try to make up the shortfall in supply from the Hormuz blockade. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP via Getty Images)

TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY LEA PERNELLE A mobile conveyor is seen in an unprocessed urea (unkonditionierter Harnstoff) storage facility at the SKW Piesteritz agro-chemical plant in Piesteritz, near Wittenberg on April 9, 2026.. As the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to roil the global economy, one German town has been scrambling to help make up the shortfall in essential supplies of fertilisers. Wittenberg, better known to many as a cradle of the Protestant Reformation, is also home to a chemical plant founded in 1915, in the midst of World War One. At SKW's sprawling 220-hectare site, a 23-kilometer rail transports urea, ammonia and finished fertilisers, destined for sites across Germany and also elsewhere in Europe. SKW is Germany's largest producer of urea, an essential component of fertilisers. The plant has been running at full capacity to try to make up the shortfall in supply from the Hormuz blockade. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP via Getty Images)

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SKW Stickstoffwerke Piesteritz GmbH, Carsten Franzke speaks during an AFP interview at the SKW agro-chemical plant in Piesteritz near Wittenberg, northern Germany, on April 9, 2026. As the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to roil the global economy, one German town has been scrambling to help make up the shortfall in essential supplies of fertilisers. Wittenberg, better known to many as a cradle of the Protestant Reformation, is also home to a chemical plant founded in 1915, in the midst of World War One. At SKW's sprawling 220-hectare site, a 23-kilometer rail transports urea, ammonia and finished fertilisers, destined for sites across Germany and also elsewhere in Europe. SKW is Germany's largest producer of urea, an essential component of fertilisers. The plant has been running at full capacity to try to make up the shortfall in supply from the Hormuz blockade. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP via Getty Images)

The roof of a fermentation plant and wind turbines are seen in Bermaringen, southwestern Germany, on April 29, 2026. The farmer runs a fermentation plant with the animals' slurry and plant materials and produces renewable energy for his farmstead. (Photo by THOMAS KIENZLE / AFP via Getty Images)

TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY LEA PERNELLE Bulk bags of unprocessed urea (unkonditionierter Harnstoff) await transport at the SKW Piesteritz agro-chemical plant in Piesteritz, near Wittenberg on April 9, 2026.. As the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to roil the global economy, one German town has been scrambling to help make up the shortfall in essential supplies of fertilisers. Wittenberg, better known to many as a cradle of the Protestant Reformation, is also home to a chemical plant founded in 1915, in the midst of World War One. At SKW's sprawling 220-hectare site, a 23-kilometer rail transports urea, ammonia and finished fertilisers, destined for sites across Germany and also elsewhere in Europe. SKW is Germany's largest producer of urea, an essential component of fertilisers. The plant has been running at full capacity to try to make up the shortfall in supply from the Hormuz blockade. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP via Getty Images)