Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 26 April 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Disparity in the Cost of Fertiliser: Discussion

Dr. Max Potterton:

On the P and K, we quote everything in elemental terms, whereas in the UK phosphorus and potassium are quoted differently, as potassium chloride and phosphorus pentoxide are how it is expressed on the bag.

On the tillage, I can provide some anecdotal evidence from our national grain committee. Many tillage farmers purchased 30%, 40% or 50% of their fertiliser requirements for harvest 2023 in late 2022. This is now a difficult position because that fertiliser was bought at the top of the market, effectively at north of €800 a tonne, but green grain prices for harvest 2023 have declined by 30% to 40%. Therefore, if grain prices fall any further, margins could be extremely compromised and difficult. It is important to note that point.

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