The prices of fertilizers in Japan are expected to hit record highs in the five-month period through October, due largely to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations, also known as ZEN-NOH, unveiled its wholesale prices of fertilizers for the upcoming months on Tuesday. The association procures fertilizers for prefectural headquarters of agricultural cooperatives.

The wholesale price for imported urea will be 94 percent higher than it was in the previous period of November through May, while that for potassium chloride will be up 80 percent.

The wholesale price for the benchmark mixed fertilizer that contains nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potassium at a ratio of 15 percent each will see an increase of 55 percent.

The association says most of the new prices are the highest since 2005.

ZEN-NOH attributes the price hikes in part to increased global demand for grain and in turn for fertilizers. It also cites dwindling supplies of urea and potassium chloride from Russia, a major producer of these materials, in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine.

The officials add that China's curb on exports of urea and other fertilizers since October last year has also pushed up their prices.

Russia and Belarus account for around 40 percent of all global exports of potassium chloride. Countries across the world are moving to end imports of the chemical to protest Russia's aggression in Ukraine. This has been resulting in a surge in its price.

The association plans to advise farmers to use compost and other materials to cope with the situation.