Farmers play waiting game before buying fertiliser for year ahead

FARMERS are keeping an eye on global fertiliser price trends before rushing into buying their 2012 requirements.

Chris Hayes, IFA inputs project team leader, has advised that retail fertiliser prices are coming under pressure as international wholesale prices continue to fall.

The West Cork farmer said that granular urea prices at the year-end had fallen by €125 per tonne since October 2011. He said this trend has been partially reflected in prices quoted to farmers, which have fallen below €425. IFA predicts that prices for urea could fall below €400 in the coming weeks for volume orders.