The price of fertiliser in April was down by 28% when compared to the same month last year, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
New data published today (Tuesday, June 13) shows that the agricultural input price index fell 0.6% in the 12 months to April 2023, while the agricultural output price Index was up 0.4% over the same period.
The figures show that the price of electricity increased by 51% in the year up to April.
Feed costs increased by almost 14.5% in the 12 month period – with poultry feed stuffs up by 25% and pig feed jumping by over 19%.
The CSO said that seed prices were up by 7.1% and veterinary costs were 6% more expensive.
The price of straight fertiliser has fallen by just over 37% in a year, while compound fertiliser has fallen by 23%. Motor fuel prices are down by 15% compared to April 2022.
The most significant output price increases can be seen in cereal prices (+47.5%), pig prices (+35%), egg prices (+23.5%) and calf prices (+16.5%) over the last 12 months.
Cattle prices were up by 9% when compared to April 2022, while poultry prices rose by almost 12%.
However, the CSO noted that the milk price has fallen by nearly 19% in a year.
Commenting on the release Dr Grzegorz Glaczynski, statistician in the CSO agriculture division, said: “On a monthly basis the agricultural output price index decreased by 2.2% while the agricultural input price index fell by 3.3%, when compared with March 2023.
“The significant monthly changes in the output price sub-indices were recorded in the price of milk which dropped by 8.6%, while pig prices increased by 3.5%. The monthly input price sub-indices show a decline of 14.1% in fertiliser prices.”