Farmers have been making use of the dry spell to get fertiliser out on ground which is starting to firm up in many areas.

A Tipperary-based merchant described fertiliser as “sailing out the gate”.

“Ground dried up great around here over the last week or so and farmers are mad to get a move on before the weather breaks,” he said.

In the northwest there is a similar go on fertiliser sales, with “a lot being spread this week,” according to a sales rep in the area.

Meanwhile in Co Cavan, a local co-op told the Irish Farmers Journal that while there has been a good move on fertiliser, land is still quite tender in places.

“There are a lot of lads using tonne and half tonne spreaders on quads. It’s gone very late in the year and they’re desperate to get a bit out,” he said.

Fertiliser prices will not see any major drop for the month of April, according to reports. However, an industry source expects prices to ease, as they normally do, in May.

Prices

The price of urea is ranging from €460/t to €470/t, with protected urea products costing an additional €50/t to €60/t.

CAN is still costing farmers around €370/t, with cut sward and pasture sward costing between €450/t and €470/t.

CAN and urea appear to be around €30/t to €40/t cheaper in border counties.

In Northern Ireland, CAN is trading around the £305/t mark, urea around £390/t and 25-5-5 is retailing around £370/t.

In both Northern Ireland and the Republic, deals of £5/t to £10/t and €10/t to €15/t below the quoted prices above will be given for bigger volumes and full payment on delivery, or within a certain period of purchase.