asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce (a) the total tonnages of phosphatic, potash and nitrogenous fertilisers, both in straight and compound forms, used in this country and (b) the cost per ton of (i) 8 per cent superphosphate, (ii) muriate of potash (KCL), (iii) calcium ammonium nitrate, (iv) sulphate of ammonia and (v) urea in each of the years 1973, 1974 and 1975.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fertiliser Usage.
29.
The information requested by the Deputy is in the form of two tabular statements, which I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have circulated with the Official Report.
The particulars for both statements have been compiled by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and relate to the fertiliser seasons—July to the following June—in 1972-73, 1973-74 and 1974-75. I have included in the statement relating to fertiliser usage particulars in nutrient tons or nutrient metric tons as the case may be for the ease of comparison of fertiliser usage in different seasons.
Following are the statements:
Consumption of Fertilisers 1972-73, 1973-74, 1974-75.
|
1972-73 |
1973-74 |
1974-75 |
||||
|
Tons of Fertiliser |
Tons of Nutrient |
Tonnes of Fertiliser |
Tonnes of Nutrient |
Tonnes of Fertiliser |
Tonnes of Nutrient |
|
|
Nitrogen (N): |
||||||
|
(i) Straight: |
||||||
|
Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (15.5%) |
Nil |
Nil |
2,234 |
346 |
Nil |
Nil |
|
Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (26%) |
177,071 |
46,038 |
203,402 |
52,885 |
270,566 |
70,347 |
|
Sulphate of Ammonia (21%) |
13,840 |
2,906 |
7,033 |
1,477 |
5,202 |
1,092 |
|
Urea (46%) |
66,919 |
30,783 |
33,516 |
15,417 |
19,167 |
8,817 |
|
(ii) Compound: |
||||||
|
Home produced mixed and complex fertilisers |
486,592 |
45,144 |
459,247 |
46,393 |
319,406 |
33,451 |
|
Imported mixed and com-complex fertilisers |
37,313 |
4,784 |
68,785 |
13,690 |
95,362 |
19,337 |
|
Total N |
129,655 |
130,208 |
133,044 |
|||
|
Phosphorus (P): |
||||||
|
(i) Straight: |
||||||
|
Sweet Grass Granules (7%) |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
626 |
56 |
|
Powder Superphosphate (8%) |
1,168 |
93 |
56 |
4 |
14 |
1 |
|
Granular Superphosphate (8%) |
67,868 |
5,429 |
34,181 |
2,735 |
21,051 |
1,684 |
|
Granular Superphosphate (16%) |
40,529 |
6,485 |
20,098 |
3,216 |
3,250 |
520 |
|
Basic Slag (8%) |
146,045 |
11,684 |
142,796 |
11,424 |
102,875 |
8,230 |
|
Gnap (14½%) |
22,254 |
3,227 |
10,232 |
1,484 |
4,717 |
684 |
|
Hyperphosphate (12%) |
2,714 |
326 |
12,486 |
1,499 |
20 |
2 |
|
(ii) Compound: |
||||||
|
Home produced mixed and complex fertilisers |
679,206 |
59,047 |
677,925 |
58,729 |
422,999 |
33,877 |
|
Imported mixed and complex fertilisers |
54,162 |
4,039 |
89,839 |
4,635 |
115,513 |
5,475 |
|
Total P |
90,330 |
83,726 |
50,529 |
|||
|
Potash (K): |
||||||
|
(i) Straight: |
||||||
|
Muriate of Potash (50%) |
42,814 |
21,407 |
29,631 |
14,836 |
13,049 |
6,525 |
|
Sulphate of Potash (42%) |
1,928 |
810 |
588 |
247 |
664 |
279 |
|
(ii) Compound: |
||||||
|
Home produced mixed and complex fertilisers |
679,206 |
122,633 |
677,775 |
125,765 |
422,999 |
74,376 |
|
Imported mixed and complex fertilisers |
54,162 |
8,087 |
89,466 |
10,029 |
115,513 |
11,931 |
|
Total K |
152,937 |
150,877 |
93,111 |
|||
Fertiliser Prices 1972-73, 1973-74, 1974-75.
|
1972-73 |
1973-74 |
1974-75 |
|
|
Seasonal average retail price £ per ton |
Seasonal average retail price £ per ton |
Seasonal average retail price £ per ton |
|
|
8% Superphosphate (Granular) |
14.31 |
22.61 |
43.89 |
|
Muriate of Potash |
25.98 |
38.81 |
60.38 |
|
Calcium Ammonium Nitrate |
31.23 |
40.21 |
61.04 |
|
Sulphate of Ammonia |
25.24 |
33.09 |
53.96 |
|
Urea |
38.53 |
57.65 |
99.53 |
NOTE:— Any subsidies operative in respect of a particular fertiliser during the periods in question have been deducted.