Farmers are having to deal with upward price pressure on CAN. Merchants and co-ops are reporting a price increase of €10/t on CAN on the cards. However, there should be no price increase on most other fertilizers.

Quoted prices for CAN are: €318/t to €360/t in Munster; €320/t to €355/t in Connacht; €312/t to €345/t in Leinster; €315/t to €355/t in Ulster.

Quotes for 27-2.5-12 are ranging from €405/t to €450/t all over the country, prices for 18-6-12 are being quoted from €390/t in south Leinster to highs of €455/t in Connacht.While fertilizer stocks are moving with farmers preparing for the silage season, the IFA suggests that no further price increases should be happening as we are moving into the last quarter of the season.

Although upward pressure remains on CAN across the country. The IFA added that farmers must continue to resist price increases in order to “keep a lid” on prices.

“Farmers should continue to shop around when purchasing. Purchasing groups in many cases are buying fertilizer at prices significantly below what many small merchants and co-ops can,” James McCarthy of the IFA said.

IFA fertilizer conference

IFA president Eddie Downey warned farmers that global consolidation has eliminated effective competition in the fertilizer industry and that this is having a negative effect on farmers.

Earlier this year, EU Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan committed to raising competition issues in the fertilizer sector with the EU Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager.

To highlight the issue, a conference will be hosted by the IFA on 30 April to examine the global fertilizer market, how it has concentrated in recent years and what actions can be taken to restore competition. Speakers will include Maximo Torero from the International Food Policy Research Institute and Nikolay Mizulin, Partner Mayer Brown, experts in EU trade laws.