Close to 500,000t of fertiliser has yet to be imported into the country for the 2025-26 season, the industry has indicated.

It is understood that around 60% of the fertiliser needed this season is already in the country. This equates to around 850,000t, based on last year’s usage of 1.4m tonnes.

A further 5% of fertiliser is in the process of being shipped, with the remaining 35% or 500,000t yet to be purchased.

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Farmgate prices are edging up by €10-15/t depending on the product, as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to hit supplies and prices. Straight urea is still trading at around €800/t, with protected urea €50/t dearer. However, the cost of new product is moving towards €900/t.

CAN is being quoted at €525-545/t, with 18-6-12 at €630-650/t, 10-10-20 at €700-730/t, while Pasture Sward and Cut Sward in the west are costing around €650/t. Supplies remain tight but importers insist that they are still sourcing and buying stocks. However, they warned that farmgate fertiliser prices are likely to remain high for much of the year.

“Prices are not going to collapse even if the war ends now. The market is going to stay high due to the gas shortages,” said Walter Furlong of Target Fertilisers. Furlong echoed comments made by Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon that Ireland currently had sufficient fertiliser stocks to meet requirements up to mid-April.

“I don’t know what way prices are going to go after April,” Furlong commented.

Furlong said the sharp rise in urea prices in recent weeks, and continued volatility in that end of the market, was pushing more buyers towards CAN.

However, supplies of European CAN are tight, while the imposition of CBAM at €115-130/t on non-EU imports is adding to supply and price pressures. A Tirlán spokesperson said its farmers were in a “relatively good position on fertiliser”, with year-to-date sales volumes well ahead of the same period last year, mainly due to a rebate of €20/t offered earlier this year.