Fertiliser Price Tracker

[Farmer Fin]

Therein lies a problem. The cost of sulphur in Double Top is around 22p/kg SO3 whereas in Ammonium Sulphate it is 8p/kg SO3 so which value do you use?

How do you know the value of the sulphur?

 

[Brisel]

In Double Top you compare it to Nitram AN. The difference in price between the two is the value of the sulphur. Do the same for AS comparing to AN - a lower grade than Nitram? This won’t spread so well so Pulan perhaps??

 

[NeilT123]

Brisel beat me to it.

Take the current price of Double Top (27N+30SO3) and subtract the value of the N (based on current Nitram price) to give you the cost of 300kgs of SO3. Divide that value by 300 to give the cost per kg of SO3.

Do the same with Ammonium Sulphate (21N+60SO3).

I have a basic spreadsheet which does it for you but I can't upload it so pm me if you want a copy.

 

[Farmer Fin]

Brisel beat me to it.

Take the current price of Double Top (27N+30SO3) and subtract the value of the N (based on current Nitram price) to give you the cost of 300kgs of SO3. Divide that value by 300 to give the cost per kg of SO3.

Do the same with Ammonium Sulphate (21N+60SO3).

I have a basic spreadsheet which does it for you but I can't upload it so pm me if you want a copy.

Thing is it’s not that simple. You are making assumptions about the value of ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulphate in order to guess the value of the sulphur. I don’t think you can do a straight subtraction. Ammonium nitrate is 34%n where as sulphate is 24%N, so the relative value of N is also different.

I try to work our cost per dose of N then the difference in sulphur being applied.

 

[NeilT123]

So using my prices of Nitram at £258, Double Top at £268 and Ammonium Sulphate at £206.

220kg/ha N = £164.50 per hectare.

200kg/ha Double Top + 480kg/ha Nitram = 220kg/ha N + 60kg/ha SO3 total cost £177.44 per hectare so 60kg/ha SO3 cost £12.94 which equals 22p/kg of SO3.

Do the same with 100kg/ha Ammonium Sulphate and 576 kg/ha Nitram total cost £169.20 per hectare which equals 8p/kg of SO3.

 

[farmerm]

Depends when for delivery, if its spot tank fill then that is mega dear, if spring del taking into account potential import tariffs then maybe ok?

C B

What would the potential import tariffs be?

 

[Farmer Fin]

What would the potential import tariffs be?

Have been told 6% if brexit happens.

 

[Farmer Fin]

So using my prices of Nitram at £258, Double Top at £268 and Ammonium Sulphate at £206.

220kg/ha N = £164.50 per hectare.

200kg/ha Double Top + 480kg/ha Nitram = 220kg/ha N + 60kg/ha SO3 total cost £177.44 per hectare so 60kg/ha SO3 cost £12.94 which equals 22p/kg of SO3.

Do the same with 100kg/ha Ammonium Sulphate and 576 kg/ha Nitram total cost £169.20 per hectare which equals 8p/kg of SO3.

Sorry I’m not criticising your maths they are correct. What I’m getting at is the assumption that N in ammonium sulphate is also 75p per kg. We don’t know the exact value of this as the N within it will most likely have a different true cost to n in ammonium nitrate.

That’s why your application cost is what counts rather than trying to find an arbitrary value for S and using this to compare different fertiliser costs.

I think what you do looks correct and is probably way ahead of a lot of people!

 

[NeilT123]

What I’m getting at is the assumption that N in ammonium sulphate is also 75p per kg. We don’t know the exact value of this as the N within it will most likely have a different true cost to n in ammonium nitrate.

I agree. The N cost in Double Top or Ammonium Sulphate or 26N+35SO3 or whatever will be based on the product it is replacing. So if you are using Imported AN at say £10 per tonne less than Nitram and replace that with Double Top then your sulphur cost will be 25p/kg and if you were on a urea system without SO3 and decided on Double Top the SO3 would be 30+ pence per kilo.

 

[Brisel]

Have been told 6% if brexit happens.

Roughly the same as the EU imposes on imported AN and urea now?

 

[Badshot]

Roughly the same as the EU imposes on imported AN and urea now?

Except the revenues will be going direct to UK government instead of the EU wasters.

 

[curlietailz]

Except the revenues will be going direct to UK government instead of the EU wasters.

How do we know EU wasters won’t be applying an export tarried as well as UK govt import tariff

I reckon we won’t know until it happens

 

[Lincsman]

How do we know EU wasters won’t be applying an export tarried as well as UK govt import tariff

I reckon we won’t know until it happens

Most of it is not EU origin.

 

[curlietailz]

Most of it is not EU origin.

Well mines not
Billingham Nitram... in my shed already

 

[bobk]

Have been told 6% if brexit happens.

Depends where it comes from

The USA have a bit of fert , how much is it @Roger Perry

 

[Brisel]

Except the revenues will be going direct to UK government instead of the EU wasters.

I’d rather we didn’t have the tariff on imported fertiliser because we’re paying it anyway. I’ll pay the 6% if it means imported grain and food is also subject to tariffs but I find that unlikely.

 

[Roger Perry]

Depends where it comes from

The USA have a bit of fert , how much is it @Roger Perry

Broadly, half to two thirds' your price depending on location / distance from a river terminal / railhead.

 

[bobk]

Broadly, half to two thirds' your price depending on location / distance from a river terminal / railhead.

Top job Rog , where do we sign

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Well mines not
Billingham Nitram... in my shed already

Bad job when it’s significantly cheaper to come from the other side of the world than 5 miles down the road

 

[Steevo]

Bad job when it’s significantly cheaper to come from the other side of the world than 5 miles down the road

Could say the same about beef and lamb.