Fertiliser sales up but lag 20pc on 2017 levels

THE recent break in the bad weather has driven up fertiliser sales in recent days, but purchases on the whole are lagging far behind last year.

Buyer groups and larger individual farmers moved in late December and early January to secure deals, however little has been moving since then.

Liffey Mills Pat Ryan said fertiliser sales have picked up in recent days but are currently 20pc back on last year. “I expect they will be caught up by the end of the month,” he said.

Michael Slattery of Drummonds said fertiliser sales are back 20-25pc on last year but there will be a “big burst” now, while Glanbia pointed out sales had picked up in recent days.

The international wholesale fertiliser prices have started to slip, with a drop of up to €20/t for CAN. However, a lot of product is still sitting in Irish merchants’ yards and is expected to continue to retail at current prices.

It is expected that prices may come back €5-10/t as the new stock lands in sales yards in coming weeks.

IFA inputs chairman John Coughlan said: “The Irish trade will attempt to hold prices at current highs, but already there are signs of prices starting to slip, particularly for cash or near cash deals.

“The fodder crisis, coupled with increased merchant feed bills, has increased the attractiveness of cash deals.”

The keenest quotes reported across the country for bagged CAN delivered to farms have dropped below the €240/t price mark, while compounds are also under downward price pressure.

Mr Coughlan urged farmers placing orders to seek a quote and see if a bargain can be struck.

Mr Coughlan said they were still arguing at EU level for the abolition of ‘anti-dumping duties’ on non-EU fertiliser products that are costing farmers dearly.

European Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan said the removal of anti-dumping measures had been raised with his colleagues and hopefully more competition would be seen in the coming months.

The prices for fertiliser in recent days have seen urea at around €318/t delivered, compared with €278/t in January of last year.

CAN has dropped back €10/t since the start of the year to stand at around €235/t, however, this is still up on the €200/t being quoted in January of last year. Now 18-6-12 is around €328/t, compared with €335/t earlier this year.