Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 July 2023
45. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has monitored the percentage increase in the cost of fertiliser in each month for the past three years; if so, if he will provide this data, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33818/23]
View answerMy Department has no function in terms of fertiliser prices. It does ensure that fertiliser products placed on the market are in keeping with the regulatory framework. However, I have continued to monitor the market situation given the negative impact that high fertiliser prices have had on farmers’ expenditure and profitability.
The following CSO table sets out the relative change in monthly fertiliser prices for the period April 2020 to April 2023 as an index with reference to 2015 as the base year:
|
Month / Year |
|||
|
Apr-20 |
83.1 |
Nov-21 |
123.2 |
|
May-20 |
82.2 |
Dec-21 |
147.7 |
|
Jun-20 |
81.2 |
Jan-22 |
179.9 |
|
Jul-20 |
80.3 |
Feb-22 |
193.4 |
|
Aug-20 |
79.9 |
Mar-22 |
216 |
|
Sep-20 |
79.2 |
Apr-22 |
250.8 |
|
Oct-20 |
79.3 |
May-22 |
248.6 |
|
Nov-20 |
79.2 |
Jun-22 |
232.8 |
|
Dec-20 |
79 |
Jul-22 |
226.5 |
|
Jan-21 |
79.2 |
Aug-22 |
228.2 |
|
Feb-21 |
82.5 |
Sep-22 |
231.6 |
|
Mar-21 |
86.8 |
Oct-22 |
238.9 |
|
Apr-21 |
90.3 |
Nov-22 |
238.8 |
|
May-21 |
94.2 |
Dec-22 |
236.8 |
|
Jun-21 |
95.1 |
Jan-23 |
232.2 |
|
Jul-21 |
96.9 |
Feb-23 |
223.1 |
|
Aug-21 |
100.2 |
Mar-23 |
209.9 |
|
Sep-21 |
104.3 |
Apr-23 |
180.3 |
|
Oct-21 |
120.8 |
Base=100 (2015) Source: CSO
The CSO index shows that overall fertiliser prices have reduced 28.1% for the year April 2022 to April 2023 (the latest index available).
In recent weeks trade in fertiliser has picked up, but is still down on previous years. There has also been a decrease in fertiliser prices in recent weeks which should be reflected in the CSO statistics, once published.
There are no fertilisers manufactured in Ireland. Irish fertiliser companies blend a number of imported fertiliser products into different compositions suitable for agricultural use in Ireland. As a result, indigenous fertiliser companies are price-takers, dependent on global supply and demand and subject to Euro exchange rates against the US dollar and other currencies on the price they pay for fertiliser.
We continue to actively engage with the sector and monitor the situation over the period ahead. I will continue to support our farm families and their businesses in the time ahead.
