The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has said that sales of nitrogen (N) fertiliser in the first quarter (Q1) of the fertiliser year for 2024 stood at 13,714t.
This is down by 83% compared to the same period last year.
The latest data covering the period from October 1 to December 31, 2023, shows that 7,663t of straight N fertiliser and 6,051t of compound fertiliser containing N was sold.
The department said that 6,162t of phosphorus (P) fertiliser was sold in the period, which is also back by 83% compared to the same period in the previous year.
The majority of this (6,088t) comprised compound fertiliser containing P.
Sales of potassium (K) fertilisers stood at 6,735t, which is a 82.5% decrease on Q1 2023.
DAFM
According to DAFM, 6,240t of compound fertiliser was sold between October 1 and December 31, 2023.
The most popular compound was 18-6-12 with 1,848t purchased in the period, followed by 27-2.5-5 (1,811t) and 10-10-20 (1,206t).
The data shows that 61t of protected urea compounds were bought during Q1 2024.
The department said that 8,265t of straight fertiliser was sold during the period, with the majority (7,663t) being nitrogen fertilisers.
3,122t of 46% urea was sold, followed by 1,506t of calcium ammonium nitrate 27%.
There was 528t of straight potassium fertiliser and 74t of straight phosphate fertiliser sold.
Fertiliser
DAFM previously confirmed that total fertiliser sales in 2023 fell by 18% to 1,135,860 tonnes compared to 2022. This marks a 33% reduction in fertiliser sales since 2021.
Nitrogen (N) sales dropped by 18% to 280,569 tonnes which is a 30% decrease since 2021.
The Climate Action Plan calls for a reduction in nitrogen sales to 300,000 tonnes to 2030 relative to 2018 with an interim target of 330,000 tonnes by 2025.
Last month, the National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) was told how the “hangover” from high fertiliser prices is continuing to impact the supply chain.
Liam Dunphy of the Irish Fertiliser Manufacturers and Blenders’ Association told a meeting of the committee that there has been “no activity in fertiliser since last August”.
“There is a fear right down to farm level, co-op, merchant trade and at our own level about bringing in fertiliser and getting caught for the prices,” he said.
“We now need to be conscious that we don’t allow a logistical crisis to develop around fertiliser for the spring,” Dunphy added.