There is up to a €155/t price differential in CAN fertiliser this week depending on where you are in the country, IFA analysis shows.

Fertiliser is most expensive in Munster, with average quotes for bulk bags delivered of €890/t for urea, €805/t for CAN and €890/t for 18-6-12. In Leinster, urea is trading on average at €841/t, CAN is trading at €762/t and 18-6-12 is trading at €850/t.

In Connacht, the IFA received average prices of €810/t for urea, €750/t for CAN and €760/t for 18-6-12, while in Ulster urea is trading at €780/t, CAN is trading at €650/t and 18-6-12 came in at €830.

Northern Ireland

Irish Farmers Journal analysis of prices in Northern Ireland this week shows that prices are continuing to ease.

CAN prices have fallen to £535/t (€602/t plus 20% VAT), while urea prices have also eased this week trading on the lower end of the market at £600/t (€676/t plus 20% VAT).

CAN prices in Northern Ireland are down £365/t (€411/t) on March 2022.

Inflated levels

IFA president Tim Cullinan said it is unacceptable for co-ops and merchants to keep fertiliser prices at inflated levels.

“There was huge frustration at our national council meeting [this week]. Farmers need fertiliser and they feel they are being held over a barrel by the fertiliser industry.

“If we don’t see immediate and substantial price reductions, we have a clear mandate to take whatever action is required,” he said.

IFA farm business chair Rose Mary McDonagh said the analysis shows that a huge gap has opened in price of the same fertiliser between north and south.

There is no justification for this price differential as all the fertiliser used on the island is coming from the same sources, she said.

This story has been updated since it appeared in the Irish Farmers Journal on 9 March 2023.