The high manure prices in the Netherlands will continue for the time being, despite the fact that the start of the spreading season is increasingly coming into view. The successful manure export to France and Germany in 2024 is also not making any progress. In the meantime, (dairy) cattle farmers are remaining hesitant with their supply and are therefore finding it more difficult to fill the storages. Arable farmers are also sitting back and are aiming for high amounts to be paid this spring.
Although the manure market is more than ever a supply-driven market, it is relatively quiet in mid-January. Dairy farmers are certainly not generous in providing supply, at most a few loads to keep the manure under the slats until mid-February. The storages are therefore not always full. They are waiting for the start of the spreading season, when they can first make a start on their own land. The hope is also that prices will then drop somewhat, so that the remaining surplus can be disposed of more cheaply than is currently the case.
Minimum €20 per cubic meter
It is still difficult to say to what extent prices will fall. The weather conditions are a dominant factor and they are still difficult to predict. In addition, the room for decline is limited, as long as arable farmers remain high in the tree with the amounts they want to receive. The rumors are that arable farmers are aiming for a minimum of €20 per cubic meter delivered on the headland, or even spread, this spring. Amounts above €25 are also mentioned here and there, although it is questionable whether this is entirely realistic.
De fertilizer prices are also increasing, which means that the willingness to receive liquid manure may increase in the coming period. At the same time, the placement space in the NV areas will decrease by 20% this year and there will be a further reduction in derogation. However, on the supply side, relief will arise in the course of 2025 from participants in the Lbv scheme. All in all, it is still difficult to estimate what balance in the market this will lead to. For the time being, there remains an imbalance, with supply exceeding demand.
Interested in Germany and France
There is interest in Dutch manure from abroad. Arable farmers in France and Germany can often receive manure for free, because the high collection contributions cover the transport costs. In 2024, manure exports increased by 4,6% to 92.947 tonnes, according to figures from RVO. Approximately half of this went to Germany, which increased imports by 8,1% to 43.118 tonnes. A similar increase was visible for exports to France, which amounted to almost 30.000 tonnes. Although these export volumes are a welcome relief, they cannot, on balance, get the Dutch manure market going again. In total, 999.220 million tonnes of manure were transported in 33,9 transports last year. The sale of manure outside the Netherlands is also only a fraction of the total.
DCA collection contributions
The DCA collection contributions show a slight increase this week in various regions in the South of the Netherlands, in the rest of the country the prices remain stable. This is because in the South of the Netherlands there is competition from other parts of the Netherlands (particularly the East of the Netherlands) where high amounts are also paid. The average price of pigs for meat in the South of the Netherlands is €37,50 per cubic meter and in the Central Netherlands it is €36,17. The collection contribution for cattle manure is €34,17 and €34,33 per cubic meter for the South and Central respectively.
Click here to view the DCA collection contributions by region.