Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 December 2023
40. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has been monitoring fluctuation in the cost or price of farm fertiliser; and if he will outline the supports there are to support farmers struggling with the cost of fertiliser. [55428/23]
View answerI am acutely aware of the impact input costs have on farmers, their families and businesses. I have supported them through challenging periods and will continue to do so.
The latest CSO agricultural price index for September 2023 shows that there has been a consistent and significant reduction in fertiliser prices during the course of 2023 with prices dropping 45% since September 2022.
The latest price index is at a level approximately 50% of peak prices of April 2022 when the initial effects of the Ukraine war had started filtering through to fertiliser price and availability.
The primary input cost in fertiliser manufacture is the price of gas. Gas prices have come down significantly but not to pre-2022 levels and have now plateaued higher. With European fertiliser production significantly dependent on gas price and supply, volatility in the gas market impacts on the fertiliser market.
The September 2023 price is still some 25% higher than the corresponding date back in September 2021 - before the significant rise in international gas prices and consequential production cost increases.
Irish agriculture is currently focused on improving nutrient use efficiency to improve the recovery of organic manures at farm level while reducing dependency on chemical fertilisers. Our CAP Strategic Plan supports farmers to adjust their farming practices to reduce reliance on chemical fertiliser and to improve use of organic fertiliser.
To support farmers in terms of advice, I established the National Fodder and Food Security Committee. Teagasc have also been active in providing advice to farmers.
Over the course of recent years, I instigated a series of targeted interventions to support farmers deal with rising fertiliser prices, including a multi-species sward initiative, a soil sampling and liming initiative as well as Fodder Support Schemes.
I will continue to actively engage with the sector and monitor the situation over the period ahead.
