EU ‘doesn’t understand’ scale of fertiliser problem - ICMSA

The EU’s Fertiliser Action Plan shows the Commission “doesn’t understand the scale of the problem” facing farmers, the president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association has claimed.

Denis Drennan dismissed the plan as a “mix ‘n’ match” of previous announcements lacking any meaningful solution to soaring fertiliser prices and supply concerns. He warned that farmers would be deeply disappointed and said consumers would ultimately face higher food prices due to reduced production volumes.

He noted the significant fall in EU farm output prices over the past year while fertiliser costs continue to rise sharply. Concerns are also growing about fertiliser availability for 2027, with potential knock-on effects for production and increased reliance on imported food.

Mr Drennan said the rumoured €400m support package would amount to just €67 per farmer when divided among the EU’s 5.9m CAP recipients. He added that repeated EU promises to “simplify” farming rules and reduce red tape are no longer taken seriously by farmers.

Meanwhile IFA President Francie Gorman described the EU Commission’s response to the fertiliser crisis as failing to reflect the seriousness of the challenge and amounts to an “own goal”.

Speaking from Strasbourg, he described the commitments to address the problem as “inadequate”. He noted that “as the crisis intensified, the Commission started 2026 with an own goal by applying CBAM to fertiliser.”

The IFA President was addressing the COPA-organised protest highlighting the Commission’s lack of action on the fertiliser crisis.

“The Commission must suspend CBAM tariffs on fertiliser in light of the severe uncertainty affecting global supply chains. It also needs to step up with a meaningful package of financial supports that will help reduce costs for farmers,” he said.

“It is essential that when Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon meets his counterparts in Brussels next week, the scale of the pressure facing farmers is fully recognised,” added Mr Gorman. “Ministers must direct the Commission to introduce a substantial increase in the Agricultural Reserve without delay.”

He claimed that unless farmers receive appropriate support now, they will face reduced fodder supplies heading into winter, which will serve to “worsen the situation”. The tillage sector, he said, is “extremely exposed” to high fertiliser prices, and growers will “not be in a position to plant winter crops this autumn unless support measures are introduced.”