asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the amount by which usage of phosphate and potash fertilisers has fallen in the past two years; and the effects of this drop on agricultural production.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fertiliser Usage.
17.
It is estimated that the usage of both phosphate and potash declined by about 40 per cent over the latest two years for which figures are available. As root and cereal crops continue to be fairly well fertilised and because of reserves of potash and phosphates in the soils, the decline in usage did not seriously affect production and the position was also helped by some increase in the use of nitrogen. A more serious factor affecting production last season was the lack of adequate rainfall, particularly in the eastern half of the country, during the growing season.
However, the possible longer term depletion of soil reserves of potash and phosphate is a matter of concern and so I have been encouraging farmers to reverse the downward trend in fertiliser usage. There has, in fact, been some improvement in the position in recent months.
Is the Minister aware that his reply seems to be suggesting that there is no great need for alarm in the fact that the consumption of phosphate and potash, the basic raw materials for everything coming off the land, has fallen to nearly half in that two-year period? Will he say whether he has something more definite than soft talk and good advice to offer the farmers who are not in a position to do anything about it themselves?
There was a huge increase in the cost of fertiliser in the year in which the decline occurred, and farmers reacted by not putting on fertilisers. In many cases, if they had equated the application of fertiliser to an acre of ground with the benefits contained therein and the extra prices secured for them by the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries through EEC negotiation, they would have been just as well off if they had applied the fertiliser at the high price. I am glad to give the Deputy good news.
It is highly probable that phosphatic fertiliser prices will fall dramatically in the near future. Phosphate rock which was commanding a price of $68 per ton in 1975 is currently being quoted at $39 per ton or less. This should entail a drop of about £1 per unit of phosphate, taking into account the drop in the value of the pound vis-à-vis the dollar. American triple superphosphate, 19 per cent phosphate, can be landed here at £55 per ton and sold at £70 per ton or £3.60 per unit phosphate. The current price of 8 per cent superphosphate is £45-46 per ton or £5.50 per unit phosphate. It is anticipated that the continued drop in world phospherous prices will affect the significant increase in the use of phospherous in the coming fertiliser season. If you want advice from the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries it is, use more phosphates, potash and nitrogen.
The Minister stated that he advised the farmers but we on this side of the House and other important people asked him to do something about this after the disaster of 1974 because the use of phosphate and potash had fallen to 40 per cent of what had been used the year before.
A question, please, Deputy.
Nitrogen continued to be applied, but the use of nitrogen without——
The Deputy is making a statement.
The Department should know the damaging effect this could have on the land of this country.
Order. I am calling Question No. 18.
I explained to the House why there was such a dramatic drop. It was regrettable but the trend is now being corrected and I can tell the Deputy that fertiliser sales in the spring of this year have been spectacularly increased. I do not have the figures here at the moment.