Any fertiliser supplies in the country have already been snapped up by buyers as the prospect of serious availability issues looms, according to managing director at Gouldings Liam Dunphy.

Dunphy told an Irish Farmers Journal From the Tramlines event on Wednesday that concerns around availability could be addressed by implementing a national strategy before next spring.

A growing number of European fertiliser plants are curtailing output or ceasing activity entirely as a result of the recent spike in gas prices.

Ireland’s size puts it as the “last port of call” for the limited volumes available for export, so supplies should be secured over the winter when manufacturers are faced with low demand from their domestic buyers, he argued.

As we stand at the moment, the plans to make that happen are not good

The fertiliser importer claimed that 1m tonnes of fertiliser out of approximately 1.55m to 1.7m tonnes sold annually should be sourced over the next six months to avert availability shortages.

“This year, we need to secure 500,000t of fertiliser by the end of December and have a plan in place to secure another 500,000t by the end of next March,” Dunphy said.

“I don’t want to make this dramatic, but as we stand at the moment, the plans to make that happen are not good.”

He also cited the current cost of gas futures in Europe, which provide little hope for downward price movement in the fertiliser market.