The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has called on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Environment to show “leadership on the inputs crisis”.
Speaking after a meeting of Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) National Council yesterday, the association’s president, Tim Cullinan said there are huge concerns across the country about rocketing input prices at farm level, and the availability of inputs in the months ahead.
“Minister McConalogue must take charge of the situation,” Cullinan said.
“For tillage farmers, fertiliser costs have nearly tripled. The average drystock farmer will be paying three times the price for their fertiliser this spring and the average dairy farmer will see 4.5c/L added to their costs. That’s before increases in other areas such as fuel and electricity are factored in.
“We already have four farm sectors – horticulture, potatoes, pigs and poultry – which are in serious and immediate danger and others are facing huge uncertainty,” he said.
The IFA has emphasised that “most farms don’t have the capacity to absorb these phenomenal input costs, and as weakest link in the supply chain, it can’t be left to the farmer to absorb them either”.
“All links in the supply chain need to share the burden and risk,” Cullinan added.
“The sector will need to work with the government in the weeks and months ahead to deal with the situation as it develops.”
Rising cost of inputs
Meanwhile, Minister McConalogue will discuss food security and supply chain issues in relation to the Ukraine conflict, when he meets with his European counterparts in an emergency session today (March 2).
Speaking to Agriland at University College Dublin (UCD) Careers Fair earlier today, the minister said there are a number of things to be discussed with other agricultural ministers, including the further potential rise in input costs and disruptions to food security.