The average dealers’ price of four fertilizer grades went up on an annual basis in April, according to the latest report by Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
In its “Updates on Fertilizer Prices,” the PSA noted that the price of urea rose by 16 percent to P1,153.59/sack. Compared to its month-ago level, the price was lower by 0.1 percent.
“Compared to the previous month’s levels, the average dealers’ prices of urea [in April] went down in nine regions,” the report read.
The PSA said the highest price of P1,396.67/sack was still recorded in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), while the lowest at P1,029.38/sack remained in Ilocos region. “Measured from a year-ago level, prices in all regions were higher this month.”
Complete, the PSA said, was also more expensive in April, as its average dealers’ price rose by 4.2 percent to P1,150.83/sack, from P1,104.09/sack a year ago. The latest figure was also higher by 0.2 percent compared to its month-ago level of P1,148.39/sack.
“On a monthly basis, price increases were noted in 9 regions. The highest price of P1,436.67/sack remained in ARMM, while the lowest at P1,036.69/sack was seen in Soccsksargen,” the report read.
“Compared with the same month of previous year, prices in all regions exhibited increases [in April],” it added.
As for ammosul, the PSA said the average dealers’ price of P631.45/sack in April was 7.1 percent higher than last year’s P590/sack. On a monthly basis, the latest figure was slightly lower than the P631.60/sack recorded in March.
Compared to prices in March, the PSA said eight regions recorded lower prices in April. The lowest price of P552.50/sack was posted in Ilocos region, while the highest price of P960/sack was recorded in ARMM.
“Relative to the same month of all previous year, all regions, except Calabarzon, registered highest prices during the month,” the report read.
The average dealers’ price of ammophos at P997.93/sack in April was 8.9 percent higher than the P916.15/sack recorded a year ago. The April figure was also higher by 0.6 percent compared to the previous month’s level of P991.84/sack.
On a monthly basis, the PSA said higher prices were posted in 10 regions in April. The highest price of P1256/sack was recorded in ARMM, while the lowest price of P827.50/sack was seen in Ilocos region.
“Measured from a year ago level, all regions exhibited higher prices during the period,” the report read.
The PSA said it monitors fertilizer prices covering 80 provinces/cities, including Metro Manila. Data are from the Weekly Cereals and Fertilizer Price Monitoring.
In a previous study, state-owned think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) attributed the uneven pricing of fertilizer to the country’s infrastructre constraints.
Titled “The Role of Mineral Fertilizers in Transforming Philippine Agriculture,” the study, prepared by PIDS Senior Research Fellow Roehlano M. Briones said infrastructure problems have made fertilizer prices expensive in some regions and cheaper in others.
The uneven pricing of fertilizer has also affected farm-gate prices, making some agricultural products more expensive than others, contributing to the unstable prices of food items.
“A more serious challenge is the persistence of apparent inefficiencies in fertilizer marketing, as seen in the large discrepancies in pricing across adjacent regions for the same product.
The fact that markets are competitive does not preclude inefficiencies in the fertilizer-supply chain at least in some areas, owing to poor transport infrastructure, weak logistics systems and low investments,” Briones said.
