Arable farmers will receive less for the purchase of manure this year than in the previous 2 years. In addition, the contributions differ greatly per region, according to inquiries from several fertilizer traders.
It is difficult to make an average of the amount that arable farmers are paid, as the differences per region are very large. It can be concluded that arable farmers will receive less this year than in the past 2 years. This is partly due to the fact that there is clearly more pressure on manure sales this year; there is simply less manure because there are fewer cows and pigs. The extension of the spreading season last year also plays a role.
Arable farmers receive almost nothing for cattle manure anymore; Only in the province of Flevoland is an average of €4,50 per cubic meter paid (for delivery at the headland). In some cases, the arable farmer does not even receive anything anymore if the manure is spread for them, sometimes that is still €2 per cubic meter. In the north of the country, an arable farmer receives an average of €3 per cubic meter (when delivered to the headland).
Pig manure
Dairy farmers often have their own land on which to spread the manure, but this does not apply to pig farmers. This is also reflected in the amounts paid to arable farmers. Arable farmers in Flevoland receive the highest contributions, because they receive an average of €7 to €9 when the manure is spread and €8 to €10 for delivery to the headland.
In the province of North Brabant, arable farmers receive an average of €5 per cubic meter (delivery to the headland), although this varies from €3 to €7,50 per cubic meter. Arable farmers in North Brabant receive approximately €7 per cubic meter for spread pig manure. In the Northern Netherlands, such as Drenthe and North Holland, arable farmers receive an average of €6 per cubic meter when the manure is spread.
Higher amounts
When we look at the south-west of the Netherlands, we see that arable farmers receive approximately €4 per cubic meter for delivery to the headland and €0 to €3 per cubic meter for spreading the manure. Last year, farmers from the southwest received €10 for headland delivery. In general, about €4 to €6 more per cubic meter was paid last year.
The tension in the fertilizer market is mainly due to the question of how much can still be spread on the grain plots. If the crop is too tall, arable farmers apply fertilizer more quickly and the spreading of manure is postponed until after the grain harvest.
Still a lot to ride
In addition, it appears that a lot of manure still needs to be spread, because it is still too wet, especially in the northern regions. From next week, most manure intermediaries are expected to be able to get back to work. In any case, there is no shortage of capacity, because there are more trucks available that can be used for transport. The sector has to spread a lot of manure in a short time, and only the weather can be a spoilsport.