Omex officially opened its new storage and distribution centre at Ringaskiddy Port, Co Cork on Wednesday 5 March.

The deep-water port allows easy access and gives options on nitrogen purchases into the future.

The new facility will load tankers in 25 minutes from parking to take off and will be available 24/7 with the use of security tags.

Nine tankers left the facility on 4 March and eight loads left on Wednesday 5 March.

Once fully commissioned, the loading procedure will be completely automated and Omex has said it can fulfil orders within 72 hours.

Four lorries can be loaded in one hour at the port and go straight to farms or a local distributor.

Omex currently registers in the low single digits of the market here in Ireland, but says the new facility will be able to comfortably supply 15% of the market in the Republic of Ireland or 25% of the market on the island of Ireland.

Storage tanks at the facility will supply urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), ammonium sulphate solution (ASS) and multiflo NPKS.

Omex has been supplying liquid fertiliser to farmers across Ireland for 20 years and supplied the first bulk order in 2016.

In recent years, liquid nitrogen has gained a lot of interest from farmers for its accurate application and cost savings.

Increase in use

Sales manager for Ireland Luke Thurton said liquid nitrogen now accounts for one-third of the nitrogen market in Britain.

He said as technology has improved and GPS equipment has become more widespread, it has become easier to use.

“There is nothing to be afraid of,” he commented.

Omex suppliers have contractors spreading product for farmers and this is a great way to try the product on your farm.

Farmers can use a contractor to apply the product or distributors will provide training on how to apply the product for farmers who wish to apply it themselves.

Environmental and climate benefits

Head of Irish operations at Omex Edward Dickinson said that Ireland has significant targets to meet on climate change and faces challenges in protecting water quality.

One of these climate targets is to move from urea to protected urea. However, Edward said that “some experiences on farm last year [with protected urea] were not wholey positive”.

At present, liquid nitrogen does not have to include an inhibitor (like protected urea). Edward said that liquid nitrogen has many advantages including accurate application through a sprayer, no waste outside the crop area, no yield loss on the field margins, benefits of less leaching and protection against ammonia loss.

He said it is “a really viable alternative to protected urea”.

Edward added that the product can also help to reduce nitrate leaching to watercourses. This is firstly through accurate application where fertiliser does not land in hedgerows or watercourses and, secondly, it contains half of the CAN, so has half the risk of leaching.