Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to have an impact on the fertiliser supply chain within Ireland, a sub-group of the National Food and Fodder Security Committee (NFFSC) has heard.
Members of the group have been told that the availability of fertilisers continues to be affected due to the sanctions placed on Russian oligarchs.
At a meeting to discuss current supply chain challenges it was highlighted that the risk is particularly severe with phosphorus (P) fertilisers, 70% of which have previously come from Russian-associated companies.
Members of the NFFSC sub-group also heard that the price of nitrogen (N) fertiliser remains high as it is highly linked to energy prices particularly gas, the cost of which has soared in recent months as Russia reduces its supply to some European countries.
Wholesalers that were in attendance also informed the meeting that Ireland accounts for less than 0.5% of global fertiliser usage, making it more vulnerable to factors affecting international supplies, such as the geopolitical conflict in Ukraine.
This is reflected in latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
According to DAFM although the full sales data for 2022 is not yet available, trends that were noted in quarter three of this year appear to have continued. In the months July, August and September, fertiliser sales were approximately 20% lower than they were in the same time period in 2021.
The department has said that sales of N are showing a decrease of 20%, while the decrease in sales of P and K are about 30% lower, in comparison to 2021.
The chair of the NFFSC sub-group Mike Magan has told members that they want to identify potential issues before they become serious challenges for farmers.
He said:
“We want to ensure that we don’t have a situation where a farmer needing to apply fertiliser next year, will not be able to source it.”
To offset the risk of such a scenario, the NFFSC sub-group members have proposed that a number of messages should be communicated to farmers and the wider industry.
It was proposed that farmers should assess their individual fertiliser needs for 2023 and consider committing to securing 20%-30% of their total requirement over the coming weeks, taking into account cash flow and risk factors specific to their business.
It was also proposed that the group should advise farmers to source their P fertiliser requirements for spring 2023 as soon as possible.
However, it has not been confirmed that these actions will be communicated or recommended to farmers.