Fertiliser Top-Up a Budget Priority – IFA

IFA and other farm representative groups met with Department of Agriculture officials this week on the EU emergency package to alleviate the high cost of fertiliser. Ireland’s share of the EU-wide €540m fund will be €15.4m.

IFA Deputy President Alice Doyle said there is scope to co-finance this fertiliser fund by up to 200%, and IFA is calling on the Minister for Agriculture, Martin Heydon, to ensure this is fully delivered in next month’s Budget.

“Farmers need this support now as the summer drought has not alone depleted fodder supplies, but finance on farms is becoming a major issue”.

“Fertiliser costs have soared throughout 2026, with the political instability in the Middle East driving prices €150-€300 per tonne higher compared with 2025. This EU emergency fund will only go some way to helping farmers who have endured these inflated fertiliser prices in 2026, but the Department of Agriculture must do the maximum to get this much-needed support out to farmers as soon as possible.”

Earlier, a meeting of the National Fodder and Food Security Committee took place.

“The easing of recent drought conditions and the resumption of grass growth in the past 10 days is a welcome development, but farmers remain under significant pressure following a challenging summer,” she said.

The advice is to make prudent and targeted use of fertiliser in the coming days to maximise the recovery in grass growth ahead of the spreading deadline on September 14th.

IFA stressed the importance of ongoing monitoring of the situation over the coming weeks and months ahead. If an issue with fodder availability worsens, the Fodder and Feed Security Committee must reconvene and meaningful supports will have to be introduced.

IFA is encouraging farmers to assess their fodder budgets now, explore all available options including the sourcing of additional forage, and seek advice where needed.

The banking sector must now step up and provide the cashflow need to get farmers through the coming months. IFA has engaged with the banking sector through the IFAFarm Business Chair Bill O’Keeffe and stressed the importance of getting working capital loan applications approved and money on to farms as quickly as possible.