Irish and EU farmers face a rise in nitrogen prices after EU member states approved anti-dumping duties on imported UAN (urea and ammonium nitrate mixtures) from the US, Russia and Trinidad and Tobago. UAN is not used in big volumes here but is in mainland Europe. Higher prices will tend to put upwards pressure on prices of other nitrogen fertilisers.

The vote at Wednesday’s meeting between the Commission and member states was 15 in favour and nine against. Three abstained.

“Fertiliser Europe has lost the plot in seeking a measure that would undermine the competitiveness of EU agriculture while destroying farmers’ incomes, IFA inputs chair John Coughlan said.

The levy rate is:

  • Trinidad and Tobago €22.24/t.
  • US companies including CF Industries €29.48/t.
  • Russian imports €42.47/t.