Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 May 2026
442. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department monitors the cost of farm fertiliser; if he will share statistics outlining the percentage increase in the cost of fertiliser in each of the past twelve months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35022/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraDepending on the type of fertiliser, increases in fertiliser prices have varied with the price of CAN estimated to have risen by 20% since the beginning of March whilst urea has increased by as much as 60%. According to CSO statistics, fertiliser prices rose by 2% for the period February 2025 to February 2026, just before the start of the crisis in the Middle East.
My Department has no function in terms of fertiliser prices beyond the regulatory function of ensuring products placed on the market are in keeping with the fertiliser regulatory framework and that standards such as nutrient content are as described.
The Agricultural Price Indices are published each month by the Central Statistics Office and measure trends in farm input costs. The CSO fertiliser price index is available at the following link: www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-api/agriculturalpriceindicesfebruary2026/
I will continue to engage with my EU counterparts with regard to the impact of the Middle East crisis on the supply and price of fertilisers.
