Fertilizing agricultural land costs farmers 70% more than two years ago.
AgricultureEuropean Union
- Omissions
- The 70% figure refers specifically to nitrogen fertiliser prices, not all fertiliser types. The European Commission's Fertilisers Market Observatory tracks nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potash (K) separately, and the 71% spike is for nitrogen fertilisers only.
- The comparison is against the 2024 annual average, not against prices in May 2024 (two years ago exactly). The annual average may differ from the specific month two years prior.
- Eurostat data shows that fertiliser and soil improver prices rose only 8% in Q4 2025 compared to Q4 2024 (and 5% for the full year 2025), indicating that most of the 70% price surge occurred in the first months of 2026 — it was not a gradual two-year increase but a sharp, recent spike.
- The European Commission adopted its Fertiliser Action Plan on 19 May 2026, the same day as the parliamentary session, meaning the MEP was referencing data published contemporaneously with the debate.
- The AHDB (UK Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board) reported that EU nitrogen fertiliser prices were only 25% higher than the 2024 average as of early 2026, suggesting that the 71% figure from the Commission may reflect a very recent spike in March–April 2026 rather than a sustained level.