10 August 2023
By: Nico van Burick
Fertiliser imports in the year to June were nearly 37% lower than a year earlier.
The Fertiliser Association of Southern Africa (Fertasa) and Grain SA have advised fertiliser companies and producers to order fertiliser for the new season early to ensure they receive it on time.
Dr Pieter Haumann, executive director of Fertasa, says in the first six months of this year, 504,197 tons of fertiliser were imported, compared with 797,845 tons in the corresponding period last year.
It appears producers probably waited for lower fertiliser prices and higher grain prices, he says. “It seems that fertiliser prices have now reached a low point, and grain prices have risen with the termination of the Black Sea agreement.”
He says this will probably lead to a rapid increase in fertiliser orders, and he urges companies to ensure their import orders are placed as soon as possible.
“Transnet is also requested to grant the necessary preference for unloading fertiliser at the entry ports, as was done in 2022, to handle this expected increase in demand.”
Corné Louw, head of applied economics and membership services at Grain SA, says falling international fertiliser prices could be the reason for the slowdown in imports, with producers waiting for the right price before buying.
“There is still no reason for panic because there is enough time to get our total import demand into the country,” he says. “Logistics, which can cause bottlenecks, should just be considered in the timing calculation.”
