Thomas Lyons 
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine is urging Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue to investigate what the committee chairperson has referred to as a “cartel” in the fertiliser sector. The committee will call on McConalogue to look into the prices that farmers are paying for fertiliser. Fianna Fáil TD Jackie Cahill made the request at a meeting of the committee last week. Cahill believes that a cartel is operating in the sector and that the prices being paid by farmers are out of kilter. The committee does not have the power to investigate the issue itself, but Cahill has called on the minister to step in.
Major farming organisations have outlined the fertiliser price challenge for farmers at the committee meeting. The high cost of fertiliser in Ireland is coming at a detrimental cost to Irish farmers’ livelihoods, according to Irish Farmers Association (IFA) deputy president Brian Rushe. Prices around Europe continue to decrease, with an almost 60% fall in prices between the peaks of 2022 and March 2023, but in Ireland prices have only reduced by a fraction. The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) has warned that there continues to be a “considerable variation in prices” between various suppliers across the country. The ICSA has also warned that one key factor which continues to dominate price differentials in relation to fertiliser is location. The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) has called for an immediate and thorough investigation by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) into fertiliser prices in Ireland. The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association (INHFA) has expressed concern that there could be a knock-on effect from some farmers who may have delayed applying fertiliser in the hope that prices would fall. It fears this “could undermine forage yields” and have a knock-on effect into next year.
Minister McConalogue has previously stated that he does not intend to formally investigate the fertiliser price issue. He believes that fertiliser prices are “outside” of his control as minister and that it is a “market issue”. However, the committee is urging him to intervene and investigate the prices that are being paid by farmers. The committee is calling on the minister to have an investigation into the prices that are being paid, and what the raw material is costing farmers.
The difference in prices between various suppliers across the country has been striking, with Munster farmers paying more than €100/t more, on average, than farmers near the border, where importing fertiliser is more feasible and cost-effective. The ICSA has warned that location continues to dominate price differentials in relation to fertiliser. The ICMSA has called for an immediate and thorough investigation by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) into fertiliser prices in Ireland. The INHFA has expressed concern that there could be a knock-on effect from some farmers who may have delayed applying fertiliser in the hope that prices would fall. It fears this “could undermine forage yields” and have a knock-on effect into next year.
The committee is calling on Minister McConalogue to investigate the prices that farmers are paying for fertiliser. The high cost of fertiliser in Ireland is coming at a detrimental cost to Irish farmers’ livelihoods. Prices around Europe continue to decrease, with an almost 60% fall in prices between the peaks of 2022 and March 2023, but in Ireland prices have only reduced by a fraction. The ICSA has warned that there continues to be a “considerable variation in prices” between various suppliers across the country. The ICMSA has called for an immediate and thorough investigation by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) into fertiliser prices in Ireland. The INHFA has expressed concern that there could be a knock-on effect from some farmers who may have delayed applying fertiliser in the hope that prices would fall. It fears this “could undermine forage yields” and have a knock-on effect into next year.
The committee is urging Minister McConalogue to intervene and investigate the prices that are being paid by farmers. The committee is calling on the minister to have an investigation into the prices that are being paid, and what the raw material is costing farmers. While the minister has previously stated that he does not intend to formally investigate the fertiliser price issue, the committee is urging him to take action. The high cost of fertiliser in Ireland is coming at a detrimental cost to Irish farmers’ livelihoods. The ICSA has warned that there continues to be a “considerable variation in prices” between various suppliers across the country. The ICMSA has called for an immediate and thorough investigation by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) into fertiliser prices in Ireland. The INHFA has expressed concern that there could be a knock-on effect from some farmers who may have delayed applying fertiliser in the hope that prices would fall. It fears this “could undermine forage yields” and have a knock-on effect into next year.
In conclusion, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine is calling on Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue to investigate what the committee chairperson has referred to as a “cartel” in the fertiliser sector. The committee will write to the minister and urge him to look into the prices that farmers are paying for fertiliser. The high cost of fertiliser in Ireland is coming at a detrimental cost to Irish farmers’ livelihoods. The ICSA has warned that there continues to be a “considerable variation in prices” between various suppliers across the country. The ICMSA has called for an immediate and thorough investigation by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) into fertiliser prices in Ireland. The INHFA has expressed concern that there could be a knock-on effect from some farmers who may have delayed applying fertiliser in the hope that prices would fall. It fears this “could undermine forage yields” and have a knock-on effect into next year. The committee is urging Minister McConalogue to intervene and investigate the prices that are being paid by farmers. The committee is calling on the minister to have an investigation into the prices that are being paid, and what the raw material is costing farmers.
