Farmers Becoming More Aware Of Their Environmental Footprint

Farmers are becoming more aware of their environmental footprint with the rising costs for synthetic fertilisers pushing up demand for organic fertilisers. Fertiliser company Ravensdown says in the last year, the price of Urea has gone up 95 per cent to $1190 a tonne, DAP has increased 65 per cent to $1320 a tonne, and Potash is now 50 per cent more for a tonne than last year at $995. Bennett Fertilisers sells organic chicken manure fertiliser and Sales manager Allan Eddy says sales are booming. Allan Eddy believes demand is up for organic fertiliser as more farmers look at their their environmental footprint. Revital Fertiliser, one of the country’s largest organic compost producers, is also seeing increased demand with managing director Kerry O’Neill saying sales are up about 30 per cent in the last year and he puts it down to a greater awareness of how food is produced and food safety He says as NZ is an export nation it’s big because customers overseas only want the food produced to the highest standards.