The inflated prices that Irish and EU farmers pay for fertiliser will be revealed in a report due to be published next Monday in Brussels.

Carried out by US researchers on behalf of the IFA, the report has found that EU fertiliser prices are out of line with – and higher than – prices elsewhere.

IFA chair Jer Bergin will present the report to the European Commission, with a demand that Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan takes action on the issue.

The report, carried out by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), will detail the effects of duties and tariffs imposed on fertiliser imported into the EU. Nitrogen and phosphate fertilisers are subject to import duties averaging 6.5% or €15/t to €25/t. However, ammonium nitrate imports from Russia – the major producer – are subject to anti-dumping tariffs of up to €47/t. Ammonium nitrate is used in the manufacture of CAN.

These duties and tariffs were put in place to protect EU fertiliser producers. However, according to Bergin, the report shows they are preventing competition from working and are endangering EU agriculture. “The combination of rising input costs, particularly for fertiliser, allied with falling commodity prices, has decimated family farm incomes,” he said. “Meanwhile, the net worth of fertiliser manufacturing companies has increased.

“The immediate abolition of anti-dumping duties and customs tariffs would increase competition, reduce farmers’ costs, lift farm family incomes and improve the competitiveness of Europe’s agri-food and drinks sector.”

The IFA’s demand for action on fertiliser prices is being backed by Copa Cogeca, the umbrella group for EU farm bodies. Irish farmers spend about €550m each year on fertilisers, with tillage and dairy farmers the biggest users.