Survey shows high fertiliser prices accelerated falling trend

Common subject charges, the share of land dressed and general utility charges of the principle vitamins fell within the 2022 harvest 12 months on each crop and grass land.

The British Survey of Fertiliser Apply put this down largely to the sharp value rises of 2021 and 2022.

These had been fuelled by the momentary closure of CF Industries UK’s Billingham ammonium nitrate plant in September 2021, adopted by the Russian motion in Ukraine in February 2022.

See additionally: Fertiliser market developments after disruption of 2022

Results of value rise on fertiliser use

The elevated value of fertiliser had affected decision-making on mineral fertiliser use on 74% of the 1,300 farms within the survey.

The upper value led to decrease nitrogen utility charges on 78% of farms general, with 83% of arable holdings reducing N charges and 77% of grassland holdings.

On the 26% of farms the place value had not affected fertiliser selections, 32% stated the rise was not vital on the time after they purchased their fertiliser, and 21% had adequate inventory so didn’t want to purchase on the elevated value.

Measures taken because of the elevated value of manufactured fertiliser included shopping for product at a distinct time of 12 months (15% of farms) and shopping for in manure (11%), whereas 10% had given new consideration to inexperienced manures or cowl crops.

Nitrogen

Use of the principle vitamins has been on a falling pattern because the survey started in 1982, however the 16 kg/ha lower in complete nitrogen use on all crops and grassland in 2022 was a sharper fall than in earlier years.

Cropping land noticed a 12kg/ha drop within the general utility price to 118kg/ha throughout all cropped land.

With 87% of that land receiving any manufactured N (down from 89% in 2021), the typical subject price utilized was 136kg N/ha, a drop of 11kg on the earlier 12 months.

In 2022, winter wheat, winter barley, spring barley, oilseed rape and sugar beet all recorded decrease charges of manufactured N functions, with the 170kg/ha subject price for winter wheat the bottom ever noticed within the survey.

The 2022 general nitrogen price on grassland can be the bottom ever recorded by the survey.

Simply 42% of grassland had any manufactured N utilized, down from 59% the earlier 12 months.  

This was at a mean subject price of 80kg/ha, roughly 10% decrease than in 2021.

Since 2000, the general utility charges on grass have seen a big decline, says the survey, regardless of a comparatively regular interval for about 10 years from 2009.

© GNP

Phosphate

Phosphate charges on the cropping space as a complete have declined yearly since 2018 to 17kg/ha in 2022, with a mean utility of 49kg/ha that 12 months, a drop of 4kg/ha.

Twenty-two p.c of the cropped space acquired phosphate in 2022, down from 37% the earlier 12 months.

On the grassland space, the general price in 2022 fell by 3kg to 4kg/ha and was down 2kg/ha to 18kg/ha for the typical subject utility, with simply 22% of the world receiving a phosphate dressing.

Potash

General potash utility charges between 2014 and 2018 had been fairly steady at 35-40kg/ha, however 2022 noticed a 4kg/ha drop, to 24kg/ha.

A potash dressing was utilized to 37% of the cropped space within the 2022 crop 12 months, averaging 63kg/ha, down 1kg on the 2021 price.

The general potash price on grassland decreased by 5kg/ha to 6kg/ha, with 22% of the grassland space getting a potash dressing at a mean subject price of 25kg (down 3kg/ha on 2021 charges).  

Sulphur

Detailed sulphur use has been collected within the survey since 1993, when solely 3-6% of the cereal crop areas and eight% of the oilseed rape space acquired a sulphur utility.

By 1997, these proportions had elevated to 13-14% for cereals and 30% for oilseed rape. In 2022, sulphur dressing covers in cereals had been within the 46-67% vary, which was decrease than in 2021.

In 2022, 30% of all crops and grass acquired a sulphur dressing, with 54% of crops handled and 11% of grass.

Eighty p.c of 2022 winter oilseed rape bought sulphur, which was just under the five-year common of 81%.     

Natural fertilisers

Whereas the survey focuses on amassing information on manufactured fertilisers, it additionally discovered that in 2022, about 67% of farms used natural manures on no less than one subject.

In that 12 months, 59% of cattle manure and 90% of cattle slurry functions had been made to grassland.

Measures taken because of elevated value of fertiliser

All farms

Farms with crops

Farms with grass

Farms (%)

Space (%)

Farms (%)

Space (%)

Farms (%)

Space (%)

Purchased in manure to interchange mineral fertiliser

11%

12%

13%

14%

11%

12%

Analysed nutrient contents of any manure earlier than utilizing

6%

8%

8%

9%

7%

9%

Utilized digestate or manure/ slurry as a topdressing

6%

6%

6%

7%

7%

6%

Elevated the world of crops with a decrease fertiliser requirement

6%

9%

9%

12%

5%

7%

Decreased the world of crops grown

5%

4%

6%

5%

5%

5%

Purchased or launched know-how to enhance environment friendly use of fertiliser

6%

7%

8%

9%

5%

6%

Commenced conversion to natural

1%

2%

1%

1%

1%

2%

Purchased fertiliser at a distinct time of 12 months

15%

17%

18%

20%

13%

16%

Given new consideration to inexperienced manures/cowl crops

10%

13%

15%

17%

9%

11%

Not one of the above

58%

54%

49%

47%

60%

56%

No reply

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

Don’t know

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

Supply: British Survey of Fertiliser Apply 

Explanation why elevated value of fertiliser had not affected selections

All farms

Farms with crops

Farms with grass

Farms (%)

Space (%)

Farms (%)

Space (%)

Farms (%)

Space (%)

Good grain value and yield

14%

17%

21%

20%

10%

14%

Rise wasn’t vital after we purchased

32%

43%

36%

47%

31%

41%

Already had shares, didn’t want to purchase

21%

23%

26%

24%

20%

23%

Not one of the above

39%

30%

29%

25%

42%

33%

No reply

1%

1%

0%

0%

2%

1%

Don’t know

1%

0%

1%

0%

1%

0%

Supply: British Survey of Fertiliser Apply