Teagasc has launched a survey aimed at tillage farmers to assess how much fertiliser is available on farms amid rising costs and government calls to increase crop production.
The survey aims to determine how much fertiliser farmers in the tillage sector currently have available and whether it is sufficient to grow the crops that are in the ground.
Head of the crops knowledge transfer department at Teagasc, Michael Hennessy, said that the background of the survey is the rising cost of fertiliser.
Considering previous calls from the government to grow more tillage crops, Hennessy said:
“If we can’t grow what we normally grow because we have no fertiliser for it, then there is no point looking for more crops.”
He added that quantities that might be available are “looking trickier” by the day.
All farmers may well be competing with each other for fertiliser, Hennessy said, which is something that has never been the case in the past.
The survey consists of ten questions which consider potential differences based on region; winter or spring growers, or a combination of both; or whether farmers are mixed tillage and livestock growers.
Phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) requirements are also being questioned by Teagasc.
Farmers are also asked whether they would increase their tillage area if more land became available. Or, if they plan to reduce chemical fertiliser application on their crops this year.
The survey is open until 2:00p.m tomorrow (Tuesday, March 15) and can be accessed here.