Demand for fertilizers has improved

By: STA Date: 2023. 08. 01. 09:30

In 2023 IV–VI. 20 percent more fertilizer was delivered to farmers compared to the volume sold in the same period a year earlier. The average sales prices decreased further in the second quarter of 2023, so the demand for fertilizers improved somewhat.

(Photo: Pixabay)

In the past three years, serious supply problems have arisen on the fertilizer market due to the pandemic, the suspension of production for a certain period of time, the large influence of energy carriers (mainly the world market price of natural gas) and, in the case of some products, import dependence. Due to the previously mentioned reasons and EU regulations, nutrients of plant and animal origin, as well as various biostimulators and soil inoculants, will be a significant alternative in maintaining soil life. These preparations are available to farmers with greater safety.

Compared to the same period of the previous year, the prices in the relevant period were much lower, with the exception of potassium chloride

There was a product whose price was reduced to almost half of last year’s level (e.g. lime-sammon saltpeter). Superphosphate recorded the largest volume decline (its demand fell by a tenth). In contrast, the turnover of lime-ammonium saltpeter increased by 25 percent, that of Nitrosol, DAM by 10 percent, while that of urea increased by almost two and a half times. The ratio of demand for ammonium nitrate to urea was 1:2 in the second quarter of 2022, which changed to 1:10 in the reporting period. The greatest demand in terms of volume was still for lime ammonium nitrate (MAS) and Nitrosol, DAM during the observed period. These two products accounted for 89 percent of this year’s second quarter sales.

AKI PÁIR