Farmers must be a “priority” in the upcoming Budget, according to Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD who said that many farmers across the country are in an “awful situation”.
There have been sharp rises in input costs for farming, including a “massive increase” in fertiliser costs, but a stagnant or only slight rise in the price received for the finished product, he said.
The agricultural output price index fell by 4.7% in the 12 months up until May this year, latest figures by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show.
The agricultural input price index was down by 6.5% in May 2023 when compared to the same month last year, including fertiliser prices which fell by 35.6% over the past year.
“I heard someone saying recently that if a burglar were to break into a yard, one of the most expensive thing they’d find to steal would be a bag of fertiliser.
“The war in Ukraine cannot be blamed for everything, fertiliser was increasing before the invasion,” Deputy Tóibín said today (Monday, July 24).
Due to the actions of beef factories, many farmers have been left stuck in a situation where they are not making profits, he said, and yet cannot pull out of the industry due the “level of debt” they’ve incurred.
Deputy Tóibín added that there are many farmers in the country whose mental health, relationships, and families are “suffering enormously” due to the economic strain on them.
Fertiliser prices
In response to a parliamentary question by Deputy Tóibín, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue said his department has no function in terms of fertiliser prices.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), he said, does ensure that fertiliser products placed on the market are in keeping with the regulatory framework.
“However, I have continued to monitor the market situation given the negative impact that high fertiliser prices have had on farmers’ expenditure and profitability,” the minister said.
“There are no fertilisers manufactured in Ireland. Irish fertiliser companies blend a number of imported fertiliser products into different compositions suitable for agricultural use in Ireland.
“As a result, indigenous fertiliser companies are price-takers, dependent on global supply and demand and subject to Euro exchange rates against the US dollar and other currencies on the price they pay for fertiliser.
“We continue to actively engage with the sector and monitor the situation over the period ahead. I will continue to support our farm families and their businesses in the time ahead,” Minister McConalogue said.