A number of fertiliser companies have confirmed to Agriland that demand for protected urea continues to grow and that product is available in stores nationwide.
Grassland Agro’s Enda McDonald said:
“Sales of our ‘eco-products’, in other words our protected urea product range, are up year to date in 2021 by in excess of 200% over the same period in 2020.
“We are very pleased with this progress. Our ambition is to continue to achieve this level of increase for this product category by promoting understanding and the benefits they deliver, both from their efficiency and environmental perspective.”
Grassland Agro is also confirming that more than adequate stocks are available across its three operational sites – Cork, Limerick and Slane, Co. Meath.
“We offer two urea products. One is a straight urea with a protected coating, the other is a protected urea plus sulphur fertiliser,” McDonald added.
Issues with sourcing protected urea
“There were issues in terms of sourcing urea earlier this year. Product that should have arrived in November 2020 did not arrive until the last week of January.
“Urea is a globally traded commodity. The past number of months have seen prices increase by between €110 and €130/t. Obviously, this factor has been impacting on the market.”
According to Enda McDonald all the urea products sold by Grassland Agro receive their protective coating in Ireland and have been approved by Teagasc.
Other representatives from the fertiliser industry have confirmed that, despite the recent price rises, urea still represents excellent value for money in terms of the price per unit of nitrogen (N) made available to growing crops of grass.
Benefits
According to Teagasc, protected urea is the number one technology for farmers to reduce losses of both ammonia (from urea) and the greenhouse gas (GHG) nitrous oxide (from CAN).
Published Teagasc trials have shown that such urea consistently yields as well as CAN and is as efficient in Irish grasslands.
Teagasc has also confirmed that farmers can spread protected urea at times when they would otherwise spread CAN or unprotected urea. Such an approach will act to simplify spreading and fertiliser spreader settings.
Teagasc scientists are firmly of the view that the most effective way for Irish agriculture to meet its future ammonia emissions target comprises a two-step process – switch from traditional chemical fertilisers to protected urea and stop the spreading of slurry using a splash plate.