Russia and Belarus, the world’s two other potash powers, together produce about what Saskatchewan does on its own.But the world has lost access to much of their output, owing to sanctions and shipping blockades.Ken Seitz, the boss of Nutrien, a Canadian potash miner, recently told Reuters that the stranded supplies could amount to 8m tonnes this year, a fifth of global potash exports.That means the biggest importers, such as Brazil, India and Indonesia, as well as Europe, will find it harder to procure the fertiliser they need to plant crops and keep citizens fed.Saskatchewan is one of the few places in the world that can boost production at short notice, says Bronwyn Eyre, until recently the province’s minister of energy and resources.Ambassadors and other officials have been calling with urgent demands.For them, “it’s a national security concern.”Saskatchewan is often said to be Canada’s heartland, full of cheerful, guileless folk who are just a generation or two off the farm if not still on it.The ups and downs of farm life helped forge a culture of mutual support.The province was the first place in North America to provide universal health care, in 1962.But recent prosperity, and perhaps the influence of Alberta, an oil-soaked neighbouring province with a secessionist bent, have changed things a bit.Today’s Saskatchewanites seem to want smaller government and lower taxes.Ms Eyre’s conservative Saskatchewan Party caters to that.The potash industry is at the centre of this new mood.The tallest steel-and-glass office building in Saskatoon, the largest city, is the Nutrien tower.
俄罗斯和白俄罗斯是世界上另外两个钾肥大国，两国的钾肥产量加起来大约相当于萨斯喀彻温省自己的产量。但由于制裁和航运封锁，世界其他地区已经失去了获得大部分产量的机会。加拿大钾肥矿商Nutrien的老板肯・塞茨最近告诉路透社，今年搁浅的钾肥供应可能达到800万吨，占全球钾肥出口的五分之一。这意味着，巴西、印度、印度尼西亚以及欧洲等最大的进口国将更难获得种植农作物和养活民众所需的化肥。萨斯喀彻温省能源和资源部长布朗温・艾尔表示，萨斯喀彻温省是世界上少数几个能在短时间内提高产量的地方之一。大使和其他官员一直在打电话提出紧急要求。对他们来说，这是一个国家安全问题。萨斯喀彻温省经常被认为是加拿大的心脏地带，到处都是开朗、朴实的人，他们即使不在农场了也只是才一两代人的时间。农场生活的起起伏伏有助于形成一种相互支持的文化。1962年，该省是北美第一个提供全民医疗保健的地方。但最近的繁荣，或许还有艾伯塔省的影响，这个石油资源丰富、有分离主义倾向的邻近省份，已经让情况发生了一些变化。今天的萨斯喀彻温省人似乎想要更小的政府和更低的税收。艾尔女士的保守派萨斯喀彻温党迎合了这一点。钾肥行业处于这种新情绪的中心。在最大的城市萨斯卡通，最高的钢铁和玻璃结构的办公楼是Nutrien Tower。
暂无注释
