Rocketing fertiliser prices and tight merchant supplies have resulted in many farmers with stocks bought increasing security precautions around their farmyards.

Surging import prices have resulted in a stand-off in the market, with merchants reluctant to source stocks at current wholesale prices and farmers unable to purchase fertiliser as a consequence.

“Stock can be got, but at horrendous prices. Farmers could have to pay up to €800/t for urea and well over €500/t for CAN if we jumped in now,” one merchant told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“If you partake in a market like that all that you’re doing is feeding the bear; so I’ll stand back for a while,” he added.

Volatility

The volatility in the market has fed into greater uncertainty around both the price and availability of fertiliser.

The general consensus is that farmers may not be able to get the exact compounds they want next spring.

At the moment, farmers cannot get their hands on stock and cannot forward buy or plan for the year ahead.

Farmers are trying to buy fertiliser at old prices but they are really struggling to secure supplies, and merchants are unable to confirm when stocks will be available.

“We had a couple of loads in stock and once that moved we couldn’t get any more,” one merchant told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“There is plenty of interest. It’s just not there to sell and fertiliser companies are not giving prices,” he explained.

One tillage farmer told the Irish Farmers Journal that he bought next year’s fertiliser two months ago, when usually he wouldn’t buy until spring.

He paid €345/t for potash, €290/t for CAN, €400/t for urea and €420 for 0-7-30.

Another farming family confirmed they are now concerned that the stocks could be stolen from their yard and they are putting locks on their gates.

A representative from Toomevara Agri in Co Tipperary said that fertiliser cannot be got and he is currently “fully sold out”.

“I believe there is fertiliser stock in the country but it will undoubtedly start very expensive in the spring,” he said.

“It’s no harm fertiliser use is being curtailed anyway. Farmers spread too much fertiliser and I think slurry could become a lot more valuable,” he maintained.