Fertiliser quotes have dropped back by €30-70/t over the last week, with the price cuts being driven by small independent merchants and co-ops. A significant price differential is emerging between small operators who do not have an overhang of fertiliser bought last autumn and bigger players whose yards are full of this expensive stock.
Fertiliser quotes have dropped back by €30-70/t over the last week, with the price cuts being driven by small independent merchants and co-ops.
A significant price differential is emerging between small operators who do not have an overhang of fertiliser bought last autumn and bigger players whose yards are full of this expensive stock.
Independent merchants in north Mayo were offering urea at €770/t this week, with CAN selling for €710/t. Protected urea was on offer from the same outlet for €820/t, with €830/t being charged for 18-6-12.
Smaller outlets in Kilkenny have also sold urea to farmers for €780/t in the last week.
However, larger co-ops and merchants are holding at the higher end of the market.
The overhang of expensive fertiliser bought last year is continuing to act as a brake on price cuts
Arrabawn is quoting farmers €855/t for urea, while Tirlán and Liffey Mills dropped by €50/t to €800/t.
As high as €760-780/t is still being quoted by some merchants for CAN.
The overhang of expensive fertiliser bought last year is continuing to act as a brake on price cuts, with merchants and co-ops reluctant to pull quotes until they have the old expensive stocks cleared.
One independent merchant told the Irish Farmers Journal that he was unable to get prices from the main Irish fertiliser importers.
However, he sourced cheaper product directly from Yara.
There are also unconfirmed reports of increased fertiliser supplies from Northern Ireland at reduced prices.
Loans
In other news, Cultivate loans will again be on offer to farmers from participating Credit Unions for working capital, stocking loans and term loans.
Up to €75,000 can be borrowed unsecured under the loan package. The interest rate is 6.5%. The average Cultivate loan application for 2022 was for €31,541 over 5.6 years.
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