20,035t of fertiliser was sold in the first quarter (Q1) of the fertiliser year for 2025, according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

This represents a 38% increase (5,530t) on the same period in the previous year when 14,505t of fertilisers were sold.

By comparison, during Q1 of the 2022/2023 fertiliser year 84,317t of fertilisers were sold.

The National Fertiliser Database shows that between October 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024 (which is Q1 2025), 12,514t of straight fertilisers and 7,521t of compound were sold.

Just over 7,300t of nutrient was sold in the period, which is up 41% on the previous year.

The data, published by the department, shows that a total of 17,430t of nitrogen (N) fertiliser was sold in the first quarter of the 2025 fertiliser year. Some 10,465t of this total were sold as straights.

This represents an increase of 27% on the same period in the previous year when 13,714t of N fertiliser was sold.

However, it is still down significantly on the 2022/2023 Q1 figure when 82,626t of N was sold.

Sales of phosphorous (P) rose by 18% compared to Q1 2024 to 7,272t, while potassium (K) sales jumped by 41% to 9,497t in the period.

The most popular compound fertilisers based on sales over the period were 18-6-12 (2,285t), 27-2.5-5 (2,060t) and 24-2.5-10 (1,328t).

During Q1 2025, 178t of stabilised urea compounds were sold.

The department also said that over 2,796t of straight urea (46%), 611t of straight stabilised urea (46%), 1,874t of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) 26% + 5% S and 1,950t of straight potassium (50%) was sold in the period.