Too low, i.e. acidic, soil reaction is one of the main factors, dependent on the farmer, limiting the yield of crops. For this reason, liming should be the basic treatment when it comes to fertilization, because a number of nutrients cannot be properly used in conditions of lower pH. Currently, we have a good time to buy and use lime, which is worth taking advantage of.
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What is the fertilizing value of cereal and rapeseed straw?
Limes are different, and so are the prices
Lime is not equal to lime. You can find many different products on the market, with different values of CaO, CaCO3 and Ca(OH)2 content. You can also choose the origin of lime, i.e. among various limestone rocks or industries of which it is a by-product. The reactivity and fraction, i.e. the size of the lime "particles", also vary, ranging from the dusty fraction to limestone fragments. Another important parameter is the cost of transport, to which we will return at the end.
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Rapeseed stalks say a lot about the problems this season
The cheapest fertilizer limes can be bought literally for pennies, as prices start from PLN 1 net per tonne. Most offers, however, range around several dozen zlotys per tonne, but for lime with the finest fraction, high content of pure ingredient and high reactivity, you have to pay several hundred zlotys per tonne. It is also worth remembering that dusty lime is sold almost exclusively as a set with the fertilization service, due to the need to use specialized equipment for transport, reloading and delivery around the field. Prices in the hundreds of zlotys per tonne are also achieved by granulated lime, the main advantage of which is the possibility of using it with a typical fertilizer spreader.
Soda lime and more
Among the companies we called, the first one to answer the phone, or rather the first to call back, was a representative of Inowap, which distributes, among others, post-soda lime from the CIECH Soda Polska SA plant in Inowrocław (Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship). As he said, the company offers post-soda lime variety 09 at a price of PLN 1 net per tonne, lime from the processing of limestone rocks variety 05 with a CaO content of at least 47 percent. at a price of PLN 65 net per ton, as well as hydroxide-carbonate lime with a CaO content of at least 40%. at a price of PLN 32 net per tonne.
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How much harvest residue remains after rapeseed and how much after cereals?
– The market situation was poor until recently. Farmers counted every zloty, and due to low prices of agricultural produce, there was often a lack of funds for lime. However, we notice that awareness of the importance of liming is growing, we have many regular customers who regularly lime their fields. When it comes to transport, I can honestly say that it used to be cheaper. Fuel prices may not be record high anymore, but drivers' remuneration and car servicing and operating costs are taking their toll – says Andrzej Chaliński, sales representative of Inowap.
Lime with liming service
Our next interlocutor was Jacek Drozdowski, member of the management board of Ekowap from Miechów (Lesser Poland Voivodeship), which distributes fertilizer lime, produces granulated lime and provides liming services. He said that currently prices range from PLN 90/t net for carbonate lime, which is a by-product of a grit plant, to PLN 960/t net for granulated oxide lime of the highest quality.
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How did Polish hygrometers and veterinary equipment conquer the world?
– It's hard in agriculture, what can I say. For the second year in a row, business in the agricultural industry is failing. We granulate lime ourselves, so we can be a little ahead in this respect, but mines are currently expensive and they do not want to reduce the price too much, even with large orders. In addition to selling lime, we offer liming services using spreaders on trucks with a capacity of 6-10 tonnes, which costs approximately PLN 300/ha – says Jacek Drozdowski.
Seasonality of lime sales and trade secrets
Basically, all representatives of lime producers and distributors, including those who did not agree to making prices public, which was the vast majority of them, agree that the sale of fertilizer lime is a seasonal activity, especially in the last two years. They emphasize that due to the unfavorable ratio of the prices of means of production to the purchase prices of agricultural produce, farmers often refrain from purchasing lime until the last moment, only to spend more money just before selling barley or rapeseed straight from the field.
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Fertilization in accordance with regulations. There is a new set of recommendations
While most of our interlocutors were quite talkative about the difficult market situation, it is not possible to obtain specific details regarding transport costs, and often also lime prices, without placing an order. The typical statement is then made that transport is priced individually, depending on the distance, size of the order or current fuel prices, but when asked about the average rate per kilometer, we most often learn about a trade secret. There is also a second group of distributors whose transport is included in the price of lime, but this is agreed individually for each customer. It turns out that, just like the agricultural machinery market until recently, the lime market likes to be mysterious.
