ICSA tillage chair Gavin Carberry has said rising fertiliser costs – associated with the unprecedented surge in natural gas price in Europe – are set to batter tillage farmers and supports will have to be directed their way. “From fuel to fertiliser, all our costs have gone up substantially. There is also no indication at present that these costs won’t spiral further out of control,” he said.  

“The availability and cost of fertiliser in particular is a real worry. As tillage farmers we just don’t know if we’ll be able to get our hands on what we need for next spring and what extortionate price we’re going to be expected to pay for it. Many of us just won’t be able to do it,” he said.  

“The massive hikes in input costs shows how badly we need CAP supports to be directed at productive farmers. We must keep the pressure on to ensure that active farmers in the low-income sectors are the priority in the next CAP.”  

Mr Carberry said while supports are necessary the price of commodities like grain and beef will also have to increase in line with these unsustainable input price hikes. “It is not feasible to expect farmers to absorb all these extra costs. We will simply be driven out of business.”  

ENDS