The surge in fertiliser prices is hammering farmers. Yesterday I heard the same thing from everyone I met – with fertiliser now such an expensive commodity, no-one can afford wastage.
I was out demonstrating the Agricision onTrak GPS to several famers in North Yorkshire. It was a mix of dairy, beef and sheep farmers all growing grass for silage and hay for their livestock. The group asked to see the system in action because the soaring price of fertiliser means that it now costs a fortune to apply, it is therefore essential to eliminate inaccurate application.
Agricision’s onTrak GPS steering guide helps keep drivers on the straight and narrow for precision farming. It has the added advantage that it can be easily swapped between vehicles. It is user-friendly kit that is easy to get on with and a simple way to help control costs of nutrient management. As a result, I sold the group onTraks.
Skyrocketing fertiliser prices has sent production costs soaring for farmers and growers. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has seen that in just a few weeks, the price of fertiliser has exploded. Fertiliser prices have hit £1,000 a tonne, linked to a surge in the price of gas – key to the production process in manmade fertiliser. Prices for nitrogen fertiliser were already up 200% year on year, as reported by the NFU.
It is a vicious circle for farmers – less fertiliser, less production. Firstly, there is a direct financial impact because production costs are much higher, secondly, if you don’t put the right amount of fertiliser on the crops, there is a drop in production. Without access to chemical fertilisers, growers have spoken of facing a 60% reduction in crop yields.
Some farmers have told me that they are not going to put any fertiliser on this season because they can’t afford to, the cost makes it a non-starter. But there are others who are in a position where it is not an option, they have no choice. It is an awful situation to be in.
We want to do what we can to help farmers combat sky-high nitrogen fertiliser prices. Get in touch if you want to find out more about the onTrak. More than ever, it’s worth every penny.
The system uses a simple bonnet-mounted lightbar controlled by an app that is free to download, and compatible with Android and Apple devices.
While it feels like the cost of everything is going up, the Agricision onTrak is staying the same price – £675 + VAT. onTraks are available to buy in our online shop
