Relying on local fertiliser yields benefits amid supply concerns
With farmers and growers under pressure this spring to get crops in the ground and away quickly, making sure to avoid any hold ups in fertiliser supply will be crucial. Edd Mowbray finds out more
RELYING on local nutrition advice, alongside an established production and supply chain, is essential for growers across the region to avoid delays or gaps in crop nutrition applications this spring.
Farmers across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset will have felt the impact of fluctuations in fertiliser prices in recent years and be aware of changes to distribution that have affected several key fertiliser suppliers, so trusting a service that has remained present for decades will help navigate the unsettled waters.
For all the fertiliser market has settled from the uncertainty and high prices seen over the last 18 months, Origin Fertilisers’ nutrition agronomist Guillaume Franklin (pictured below right) says guaranteeing supply will still remain at the forefront of farmers’ minds.
“With the wet winter and spring, the most crucial thing for farmers at this time of year is the support and reassurance from their fertiliser supplier that nutrition will be on farm when they require it,” he adds.
“By using local advice along with a recognised local facility and established hauliers who know the region, farmers will be better placed to get the right product at the right time.”
One established facility is Origin Fertilisers’ Plymouth production site, one of 11 the company has strategically located around the country. The site has been supplying a variety of crop nutrition products to arable and livestock producers across the South West for over three decades.
In addition to the site at Plymouth, facilities at Avonmouth and Sharpness help to support further demand with increased capacity. The three sites’ capability across the South West offers one of the largest in the industry to the region and allows the company to react quickly and hold adequate raw material stock levels.
Guillaume continues: “Changes to supply and production across the fertiliser industry can be a worry for farmers and growers. With changes in recent years, farmers will want to be reassured that their fertiliser will still be delivered on time.”
The Plymouth site handles a wide range of raw materials and offers everything from a full range of straights to prescription blends.
Among key raw materials for Plymouth are a special granular salt to produce Sweetgrass, and multinutrient Polysulphate, mined in the North East of England.
Guillaume concludes that nutrition requirements for growers are individual, and fertiliser companies should be able to cater for these requests: “Crop nutrition is changing, with farmers and growers looking to get more from fertiliser and tailor it to their specific farms and fields.
“Only suppliers with local capacity and an experienced workforce can cater for these requests.”