Fertilizer prices increase, farmers face difficulties

Most types of fertilizers, both domestically produced and imported, have increased in price from 50,000 to 100,000 VND/ton.

Currently, Quang Ngai farmers are entering the 2013-2014 winter-spring crop season but are facing prices of many types of fertilizers that are increasing at quite high levels.

According to calculations, this winter-spring crop, farmers in Quang Ngai province need about 30,000 tons of fertilizers of all kinds. Currently, most types of fertilizers produced domestically and imported have increased in price from 50,000 to 100,000 VND/ton. The increase in fertilizer prices is an additional pressure on farmers, while agricultural product prices remain at normal levels.

Mr. Nguyen Van Binh, a farmer in Pho Van commune, Duc Pho district, calculated that in previous years, when fertilizer prices were low, each sao of rice field after more than 3 months of production, farmers earned about 300,000 VND, not including labor; but this year, each sao of rice field only earned less than 100,000 VND. Mr. Nguyen Van Binh's family grows nearly 3 sao of rice, which means they have to spend nearly 300,000 VND more on fertilizer. This year's fertilizer prices have increased compared to previous years, so farmers have no profit and have to grit their teeth and endure. The output price is low, so farmers have no profit from the input.

When gasoline prices increase, fertilizers also increase. Currently, the prices of urea and NPK fertilizers have increased the most. Phu My fertilizer has the lowest price among all types of nitrogen fertilizers, this time it has increased by 5-10,000 VND/50kg bag. Other fertilizers such as phosphate, potassium, foliar fertilizers... have also increased, causing many farmers to hesitate to invest in this production season. Some households with land areas destroyed by floodwaters have struggled to restore their fields, and now they are facing increased fertilizer prices.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh, in Hanh Thuan, Nghia Hanh district, Quang Ngai province said: "Fertilizer is the top concern of the cost of products made now, so it is acceptable, the price of fertilizer is the same...".

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According to fertilizer dealers, every time a new crop season begins, fertilizer prices increase but not significantly, only about 5-10,000 VND/50kg bag. This year, prices of most fertilizers have increased by 5-10%. Mr. Nguyen Trung Tin in Pho Phong commune, Duc Pho district said: fertilizer prices have increased, so some farmers are taking advantage of local manure sources.

According to many farmers’ calculations, this winter-spring crop, farmers will have to spend 2.5-3 million VND on fertilizer for each hectare of rice. Currently, labor costs are also increasing, so it is difficult to make a profit, and losses may even occur in this winter-spring crop./.

Domestically produced fertilizers have met over 80% of demand.

According to VOV