Fertilizer Cost Lowest Price In Western Visayas

by James Earl E. Ogatis

 

FPA Chief, Ronnie Sangatanan (left) conducting spot inspection at Amigo Planters and Universal Harvester Incorporated depot at Lobuc, Bro. Obrero, Lapuz, Iloilo City and checking the correctness of weight per sack as the fertilizer is bagged by the workers.(Photo by RAFID 6)

Inorganic fertilizer of Western Visayas cost the least prices among all regions on six major grades of fertilizer used by the farmers nationwide.

 According to Rone L. Sangatanan, Fertilizer  Pesticide Authority (FPA) 6 chief, the regional average price of urea (46-0-0) is Php.1,030.00 per bag; Ammonium Sulphate (21-0-0) Php. 650.00 per bag; Complete fertilizer (14-14-14) Php.1,163.33 per bag; Ammonium Phosphorous (16-20-0) Php.978.33 per bag; MOP (0-0-60) Php.1,208.75 per bag and DAP (18-46-0) Php.1,615.00 per bag.

Sangatanan said that Luzon prices range from P1,080.83 per bag to Php1,253.17 per bag for Urea; Ammonium Sulphate from Php.662.50 per bag to Php.822.30 per bag; Complete fertilizer from Php.1,165.00 per bag to Php.1,297.00 per bag; Ammonium Phosphorous from Php.1,004.17 per bag to Php.1,150.00 per bag; and MOP from Php. 1,595.00 per bag to Php. 1,874.00 per bag.

While Mindanao prices ranges from Php.1,055.55 per bag to Php.1,385.00 per bag for urea; ammonium sulphate from Php 651.40 per bag to Php.790.00 per bag; complete fertilizer from Php1,187.75 per bag to Php.1,400.00 per bag; ammonium phosphorous from Php.988.79 per bag to Php.1,170.00 per bag; MOP from Php.1,258.20 per bag to Php.1,291.50 per bag; and DAP from 1,671.00 per bag to 1,732.20 per bag.

“We have many fertilizer importers in region 6 which is the major factor for the low cost of fertilizer. Their healthy competition among each other is most advantageous to our farmers who are primary users of these six major grades of fertilizer nowadays” Sangatanan explained.

He stressed that inorganic fertilizer can be repacked by the dealers into one-kilo, two-kilos and five-kilos per pack but strongly advised the farmers to buy on a per bag basis which weighs at exactly 50 kilograms.

Sangatanan encourages farmers to check for the standard marking on each fertilizer bag which includes: brand name, FPA product registration number, guaranteed analysis of the nutrients net mass per kg., name and address of manufacturer/importer and country of manufacturer/origin if imported.

Sangatanan advises farmers to buy fertilizer and pesticides only to FPA accredited dealers/distributors to avoid buying adulterated and fake products which can harm their plants. It must be noted that fertilizer has a shelf-life of two to five years.
He also warned dealers not to repacked pesticides and conform only to FPA rules and regulations stated in their respective licenses to void penalty and cancellation of their licenses.

FPA is a regulatory agency attached to the Department of Agriculture specifically mandated to regulate manufacture, distribution and usage of fertilizer and pesticide. /MP