Farmers have spent some €1.191bn on fertiliser in 2022, according to Central Statistics Office (CSO) estimates.

The CSO analysis suggests that some €585m (97%) more was spent on the farm input commodity in 2022 when compared with 2021.

The spending increase by farmers comes despite the volume of fertiliser used on Irish farms being estimated by the CSO to have decreased by some 19% in 2022.

However, prices for this lesser amount were up on average 141%, leading to the higher overall spend.

Targets

The drop in the volume of fertiliser used by farmers this year has contributed to Ireland’s current meeting of its nitrogen reduction targets.

Ireland is meeting its nitrogen reduction targets. / Phillip Doyle

Department of Agriculture figures revealed by the Irish Farmers Journal earlier this week show that tonnes of artificial nitrogen sold fell by 14% from 2020/2021 to 343,193t in 2021/2022.

This means that Ireland is currently exceeding its target to reduce nitrogen use to 350,000t of artificial nitrogen by 2025. The overall target is to reduce nitrogen use to 325,000t by 2030 from the base figure of 408,000t in 2018.

The CSO analysis suggests that the 14% nitrogen sales reduction from 2020/2021 to 2021/2022 has increased further, up to some 19% of a decrease this year alone when compared with 2021 figures.

Feed

The CSO also predicts that farmers will have used 2% more feed this year, in volume terms, when compared with 2021.

With prices for this feed estimated to have grown by 28%, its overall cost is forecast by the CSO to have risen by 31%, some €561m, to €2,360m.

Farmer expenditure on energy and lubricants is also estimated to rise, by some 42% or €193m to €649m in 2022, due mainly to price increases of 39%.

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Ireland currently meeting nitrogen reduction target

Agricultural ‘surplus’ up 30% to €4,826m in 2022 - CSO