Fears continue to grow around the cost and availability of feed and fertiliser following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Fertiliser orders from Russia have been cancelled, while shipments in transit cannot be paid for due to financial sanctions being imposed. Merchants have warned that fertiliser supply for April will be difficult.

Fertiliser prices remain high, with urea quoted in the main at €950/t. Soaring oil prices and all-time high gas prices this week are also stoking uncertainty in energy and commodity markets, with contractors warning of increased prices for the 2022 silage and grain harvest.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue attended an emergency meeting of the EU’s agriculture ministers on Wednesday afternoon, where feed, food and fertiliser supply and prices were discussed.

Russia is responsible for over 20% of global fertiliser production, and provides over one-third of Europe’s imported oil, gas and coal.

Ukraine is the EU’s fourth biggest external food supplier, providing about a quarter of its cereal and vegetable oil imports.