Cowen calls on European Commission to reconsider tariffs on fertiliser imports

Fianna Fáil MEP for the Midlands North-West Barry Cowen has called on the European Commission to reconsider its approach to proposed tariffs on fertiliser imports in light of a new report warning of a sharp upward trend in fertiliser prices for 2025.

The Rabobank report, published this week, forecasts another challenging year for the global fertiliser market – particularly nitrogen and phosphate-based products – and flags the EU’s proposed import tariffs as a major contributing factor to potential price shocks.

The European Commission’s proposal, currently awaiting a vote in the European Parliament in May, seeks to impose tariffs on fertiliser imported from Russia and Belarus.

The new Rabobank analysis details a range of pressures already driving global nitrogen prices upward, Irish fertiliser prices having risen steadily since late 2024.

To address the risk, Cowen, in close consultation with farming organisations, has submitted and co-signed a number of targeted amendments within both the European Parliament’s Agriculture (AGRI) and International Trade (INTA) committees, one of which is a proposed one-year delay in tariff implementation to give the fertiliser market time to adjust.

“This new report reinforces everything I’ve been saying for months – global fertiliser prices are already on the rise, and the EU's proposed tariffs could turn a bad situation into a crisis for Irish farmers.

“Ireland has no domestic fertiliser production – we rely entirely on imports. These tariffs might make sense for other Member States, but for us it could spell disaster. The Commission needs to listen and adjust before it’s too late for Irish farmers.

“Farmers are already operating on fine margins. They cannot absorb another price surge on fertilisers, especially not one made worse by policy choices in Brussels," MEP Cowen said.