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Farmers hit by soaring fertiliser
costs 12.05.08
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by Liam Porter, Inishowen Independent
THE RISING price of agricultural diesel is just one
of a series of price hikes that farmers are
currently facing according to well known agri
businessman Jim Devenney.
He insisted that local farmers currently preparing
ground for crops are doing so expecting that the
price they receive for their produce will be hugely
increased at harvest time.
“There can be no doubt about it, the farmers who are
putting in crops now are doing so in the expectation
of a big increase in the price they will get for
those crops. If that doesn’t materialise I am
worried that many farmers could go to the wall,” he
suggested. |
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The former county
councillor’s comments were made as farmers face a
series of price hikes which have shown no sign of
coming to a halt.
“Not alone have agricultural diesel prices been
spiralling upwards, but there have been other
massive hikes as well in things like fertiliser as
well.”
Mr. Devenney suggested that fertiliser prices had
risen eight times since January of this year and
fertiliser that was costing between €250 and €260 a
tonne last year is costing over €500 this year.
Those hikes come on top of rising diesel |
prices, a cost that
farmers cannot avoid.
“Farmers need diesel to move their machinery around
and there is no way of avoiding that. Some of the
heavy machines used for instance by tillage farmers
can hold 250 litres and they can burn that in a day.
On top of that farmers need to transport goods to
and from the farm and it’s just a fact that they
need this fuel if they are to continue farming.”
However he suggested that the effects of the price
increases are frightening because the amount of
diesel oil farmers burn is astronomical.
“If the prices keep going up as they have been I
really don’t know what will happen,” he said.
Mr. Devenney urged the government to treat the
matter with the utmost importance and insisted that
unless drastic action is taken the rising costs
farmers are facing could have devastating
consequences.
While farmers have expressed their concerns about
the rising cost of diesel, similar concerns were
expressed at the weekend by the Irish Road Haulage
Association.
The group has now requested an urgent meeting with
the incoming Taoiseach Brian Cowen, as fuel prices
soar.
In a strongly worded letter to Brian Cowen, the
association says it's extremely concerned about the
implications for the industry and the economy.
It says Ireland is the most truck dependent country
in Europe.
IRHA President Jimmy Quinn says the Government
should reform the taxation system for commercial
fuel as rising prices are putting some hauliers out
of business. |
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