Irish Fertiliser Prices Jumped 15.3% in Q4 Last Year, Second Highest in EU
Irish fertiliser prices surged by 15.3% in Q4 last year, the second-highest increase in the EU, exceeding the average by 7.3 percentage points. This rise, alongside fuel costs, is expected to constrain agricultural land profit margins. The EU Commission launched a Fertiliser Action Plan to enhance production and support farmers amid global pressures.
Fertiliser prices in Ireland increased by 15.3% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of last year, making it the second-highest rise among EU member states. This increase was 7.3 percentage points above the EU average. Only Romania saw a higher jump at 16.8%, while the Netherlands followed Ireland at 12.1%. In contrast, prices fell by 6.1% in Bulgaria and by 0.2% in Croatia and Lithuania.
Across the EU, average fertiliser prices rose by 8% in Q4 2025 compared to Q4 2024, following two years of decline. This surge contributes to forecasts that Irish agricultural land costs will rise by only 4% this year, with high fertiliser and fuel prices impacting profit margins.
The European Commission responded by announcing a new Fertiliser Action Plan. This plan aims to explore stockpiling fertiliser supplies and boosting European production, along with providing short-term targeted support to farmers via existing Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) crisis tools. A financial package for immediate liquidity relief is also expected before summer. EU Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hanse emphasized that «Food security starts with fertiliser security. Europe must produce more and depend less on others for the nutrients that sustain our agriculture.» Nitrogen-based fertiliser prices last month were approximately 70% above their 2024 average.