Hungarian fertilizer sales down in October, prices up

Hungarian fertilizer sales volumes fell by around 20pc on the month in October, but prices for key products rose, data from domestic research institute AKI show.

AKI did not provide further information regarding volumes but did so for prices.

The average CAN price edged up by 1.6pc on the month, but decreased by 17.4pc from a year earlier, to 51,879 forints/t (€144/t) in October.

Prices for AN 34 were up by 2.9pc from September, but fell by 14.5pc on the year to an average of Ft66,492/t last month.

MOP prices averaged Ft101,151/t in October, up by 1pc from the previous month, but down by 6.6pc year on year.

The average MAP price rose by 1.9pc from September and fell by 10pc from a year earlier to Ft124,791/t last month.

NPK 15-15-15 prices also increased from the previous month, by 2.6pc, but declined by 2.2pc on the year to an average of Ft103,586/t in October.

SSP 18.0-20.5 was the only key product to record a price increase on both the month and the year in October. Its average price rose by 5pc from September and by 8pc from October 2019 to Ft69,577/t last month.

AKI's monthly prices are averages of mostly on-farm sales — which make up 70pc of the total — but also take into account some product collected from distributors and other sellers.

By Bela Fincziczki