News fertilizer
Does farmer grow other crops through expensive fertilizer?
The sharp rise in prices and a tight supply of fertilizers are driving the costs of arable farmers up sharply. This could encourage French farmers to grow fewer crops with a high nitrogen requirement, warns the market agency FranceAgriMer.
The price of natural gas, one of the most important raw materials for nitrogen fertilizer, has skyrocketed. As a result, fertilizer has become considerably more expensive. But availability is also at risk, as several manufacturers struggle with rising gas costs.
Availability of major care
"The big concern is availability of fertilizer," Benoit Pietrement, farmer and chairman of the grain committee of FranceAgriMer told Reuters. "We are already having problems with availability and regardless of the price there are no guarantees that there will be enough fertilizer available next spring." According to FranceAgriMer, it is too late for major changes in the area of winter crops. Rapeseed is now in the ground and farmers are now busy sowing winter grain. A few things can still be changed with crops that are sown in the spring. "Some farmers will decide to grow fewer crops with a high nitrogen requirement, such as maize, and sow spring barley or sunflowers instead," Pietrement said.
Fertilizer prices have tripled on average in the past year. Grain fertilization costs are now estimated at €300 to €350 per hectare. By way of comparison: last season that was about €150 per hectare. "The impact on growers will be severe," says Pietrement.
Jurphaas Lugtenburg
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