With fertiliser prices skyrocketing, Teagasc Specialist Mark Plunkett is on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge podcast with an update on the outlook for the coming months and what can you do to maintain margins in light of further possible increases.

The current fertiliser price increases are unprecedented and Mark explains why they have risen so dramatically - which have been caused by a number of factors across the world.

While Nitrogen has spiralled out of control in the past year, Phosphorus and potassium have also increased in price but not to the same extent and from Mark’s experience, prices are set to remain for early 2022.

On a recent podcast Teagasc advisor John Kelly spoke of rising concentrate prices and in light of these fertiliser price increases, Mark advises farmers to take soil samples and see what nutrients are required on your farm.

Then start by correcting pH and making savings on soils at P & K Index 4. With 42% of soils deficient in lime, correcting lime will be a big help to release nutrients in the soil with nitrogen released worth up to €150/Ha.

In relation to silage ground, Mark advises farmers to maximise nitrogen value of slurry by using low emission spreading techniques, applying in the spring under cool & damp conditions.

For further information contact your local Teagasc advisor or to arrange taking soil samples find out more here:

https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/soil--soil-fertility/soil-analysis/soil-sampling/

For information on low emission slurry spreading:

https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2020/Low-Emission-Slurry-Spreading-Factsheet.pdf

And for more information on applying lime:

https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/daily/grassland/new-lime-factsheet---the-facts-on-applying-lime.php

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit the show page at:

https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

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