Spring fertiliser supply warning for farmers

It could be harder to get urea products in March and April

Recent fertiliser price rise attributed to increased global demand, rising production costs, and issues with supply for certain  products.

Tightness of supply and uncertainty in the market could result in a delayed availability of some fertiliser products and, in particular, urea-based products, as the season progresses into March and April, said Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue in the Dáil last week, when asked to comment on fertiliser prices.

On the recent fertiliser price rise, he said the major driving factors are increased global demand, rising production costs, and issues with supply for certain fertiliser products. “On the demand side, an overall increase in fertiliser use nationally is not expected this year. While fertiliser sales here have been steadily increasing over the last decade, there are generally continuing signs of a levelling off in nitrogen sales in recent years. Growth in sales of fertiliser has been relatively modest over the last four years with sales of nitrogen 2.8% higher in 2020 compared to 2017. Industry sources indicate that there is no immediate concern with overall fertiliser supplies. It is also worth noting that many farmers have purchased their fertiliser earlier this year than in previous years and are not exposed to the current price increases.”