Fertiliser sales for October to March reached the highest point in the last five years, figures from the Department of Agriculture show.

Total sales of fertiliser from 1 October 2016 to 31 March 2017 show an increase in fertiliser use of 32%, to 749,834t, and a 31% increase in the use of nitrogen (723,328t), compared with 2015/2016 figures.

Lower prices at the backend of 2016 were one of the main drivers of the increased sales.

The total volume sold of fertilisers including phosphorous stood at 446,497t, while those containing potassium was 453,920t. This represents a 26% rise in sales of fertilisers containing P and K.

This is the highest volume of fertiliser used over the October-March period in five years. The second highest was 2014/2015, when over 662,000t of fertiliser was sold.

The amount of lime sold also increased. In January and February 2017, five times more lime was sold than during the same period in 2016.

Over 73,500t more fertiliser was sold in 2016 (967,281t) than 2015.

Fertiliser use in 2016 was at its highest point since 2013. Weather in both those years had a good backend.

Sharp drop in NI fertiliser prices

Fertiliser use up 32%

Figures from the Department of Agriculture show that the volumes sold for the first half of the fertiliser year are at the highest point in five years.