Fertiliser quandary needs to be sorted

MERCHANTS and co-ops have been told this week ‘to bite the bullet’ and to put in place a fair policy as regards fertiliser prices for this year.

Many fertiliser outlets are understood to have significant stocks in place since last year – purchased at a time when product was close to the peak of the price cycle.

However, worldwide over the past couple of months, fertiliser prices have pulled back to pre-Russian war levels with global urea prices down by over €450 a tonne.

There were reports last week of merchants declining to ‘quote’ buyers for prices at a time when many farmers are planning their fertiliser outlays after an extended spell of fine weather.

Galway IFA Environment Representative, Henry Walsh, told the Farming Tribune this week that he was asking the merchants and co-ops to put an ‘equalisation strategy’ in place as regards prices.

“We know that suppliers have bought in expensive fertiliser in the second half of 2022 but they should be able to put in place a policy whereby they can sell it cheaper at this point, and then even things out through the year.

“Energy costs – and especially the price of Russian gas – have dipped dramatically over recent months which has had a major impact in terms of reducing prices.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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