Price quotes for chemical fertiliser are unchanged, with CAN trading between £290 and £295/t, although some deals have been struck at £285/t for larger quantities and full payment on delivery.
Urea is also steady at £370 to £380/t, while protected urea is trading around £430 to £440/t.
Compounds used when planting winter cereals are priced around £410 to £420/t for products such as 15-15-17. Muriate of potash (0-0-60) is at similar levels, although fertiliser with a high phosphate content, such as DAP, is at quotes over £600/t.
Fertiliser sales were sluggish throughout summer and with merchants reluctant to carry older stocks through winter, there is scope to purchase at prices below the outlined quotes.
Cereals
In the seed trade, merchants indicate they have received strong interest for certified seed ahead of winter planting.
Reports indicate merchants have finalised orders from regular clients for winter barley and are now focusing on procuring wheat seed for delivery.
Where farmers have yet to order seed for winter planting or looking to buy more, the advice is not to delay.
Seed treatment and packaging is carried out in batches linked to orders, so the turnaround time from purchase to seed arriving on-farm is generally in the region of three weeks.