Fertiliser prices are varying around the country by as much as €60/t as fertiliser sales are beginning to gather speed.
According to merchants, farmers can expect to pay €230-265/t for Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN), while compound fertilisers such as 18:6:12 are selling for €340-370/t.
Fertilisers such as 10:10:20 and Cut Sward are selling from €365-425/t and €350-380/t respectively.
Farmers in the south payed the lowest price for fertiliser
Fertiliser sales have slowed in Co. Wexford, according to Cooney Furlong’s James O’Neill, as farmers are waiting on rain.
O’Neill said that CAN is currently trading at €230/t while compound fertilisers such as 18:6:12 and 10:10:20 are selling for €340/t and €365/t respectively.
After a slow start, he said that fertiliser sales started to pick up in March and April as soil conditions began to improve on farms in the south east.
Compound fertilisers in demand in Cavan
Further north in Poles Co-op, Co. Cavan, Michael Kehoe said that there was an increase in demand for compound fertiliser as first cut silage has just been harvested.
Compound fertilisers such as 10:10:20 and 18:6:12 are in good demand, he said, and these are currently selling for €425/t and €360-370/t respectively.
Kehoe added that farmers are also looking for Pasture Sward (€365-375/t) and Cut Sward (€375-380/t).
However he said that the demand for straight fertiliser is slow. CAN is making €255-260/t while urea is being sold at €365/t.
Farmers look for products containing Selenium in the West
Meanwhile, Michael Mullins of Athenry Co-op said that there is currently a lot of demand for fertiliser.
According to Mullins, farmers are starting to purchase products such as Cut Sward which is making €360/t and Pasture Sward which is selling for €370/t.
Mullins said that CAN is currently trading at €265/t and compound fertilisers such as 10:10:20 and 18:6:12 are selling for €395/t and €360/t respectively.
Silage driving demand in Munster
Silage is driving the demand for fertiliser in Bandon Co-op, according to the store’s Mary Hayes.
Hayes told Agriland that the demand for fertilisers such as 18:6:12 and Pasture Sward have all increased since farmers have taken their first cut of silage.
Both these products are currently selling for €370/t, she said, while CAN is making €250/t, she said.
