Many livestock farmers live on the assumption that manure will be scarce this year, which means that cheaper collection fees are in the offing. However, the weather probably throws a spanner in the works, because the heavy rain over March did not do the fertilizer market any good.
After a smooth start in February, there seemed to be no problem on the fertilizer market. The cattle slurry was even at the start of the spreading season scarce. In view of falling selling prices, livestock farmers were therefore not generous in supplying them. However, March was a wet and drizzly month, which meant that the manure trucks came to a standstill. As a result, it is spreading season been delayed.
In the meantime, the weather has improved somewhat, and will continue to improve in the coming days beautiful spring weather predicted. However, in some parts of the country it is still too wet to spread manure; especially in the north, where locally up to 140 millimeters of precipitation fell in March.
Fear of crop damage
The clock is now ticking steadily. In many places, growth on winter wheat plots has already progressed so far that arable farmers prefer to apply fertilizer to prevent possible crop damage from the trailing hose. Growers on clay soils are afraid that the plots will become closed when it is too wet.
Growers on sandy soils who still have to use liquid manure are currently short on time to plan the spring work in phases.
Change in the fertilizer market?
The DCA collection contributions for pig slurry and cattle slurry are still showing a decrease in most parts of the Netherlands this week. The quotation for the 'Barneveld' region, on the other hand, increases by €0,50 to €14,50 per tonne.
This movement confirms the rumors in the market that manure prices tend to rise again, because the manure supply now appears to be more than sufficient. Arable farmers are also aware of the change in the fertilizer market and are therefore more critical of the amounts they pay. turn.