The spreading season for slurry started yesterday (Wednesday 16 February). The demand for manure is good - partly due to the high fertilizer prices - according to insiders, but the weather is throwing a spanner in the works. 'At the beginning of the week, the conditions were beautiful, but we were not allowed to drive, now we are allowed to go wild, but we cannot go on the land everywhere', is a frequently heard comment in the fertilizer sector.
Although the conditions may not be ideal, spreading has started on the higher lawns. The cellars of several livestock farmers are full and they would like to get rid of some of the manure to create some space again, especially with the predicted rain for later this week in mind. The grass is also in good shape, insiders say. Due to the mild winter, growth is already starting to come in. In general, however, the picture is that there is still enough storage space available. "It is a bit of a puzzle to dispose of immediately," said a commissionaire.
More interest
From the arable farming sector, there is instinctively more interest in slurry this season because of the high fertilizer prices, insiders report. It is still difficult to estimate how big that extra demand will ultimately be. Manure on wheat, for example, is already relatively widely used and the user standard for phosphate, and the new assessment method, are the major limiting factor. In addition, the weather also plays an important role. As it looks now, it will be the second half of next week at the earliest before the tow hoses can land on arable land.
Due to a combination of a wet period and a rapid development of the wheat, the period in which manure can be applied to wheat can be relatively short. According to insiders, the capacity to spread a lot of manure in a short period of time is there. The bottleneck is the transport capacity. This can be a problem, especially to arable farming areas further away. "We have always managed to serve by far the largest part of the customers and I expect that we will succeed again this season," said a commission agent.
In doubt due to derogation
Whether or not the derogation is granted is another major theme that plays a role in the fertilizer market. It is not yet an issue for the fertilization of the first cut, but pasture companies are in doubt about how to proceed further. Do you opt for no derogation and do you choose to remove/process part of the manure relatively early in the season at hopefully attractive rates or do you wait with the risk that if there is no extension and massive manure has to be removed? resulting in higher rates?