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Phosphate soil surplus per ha - Derogation farms

Phosphate soil surplus below zero again in 2021
07/09/2023

In 2021, the phosphate soil surplus was on average 4 kg/ha on farms in the derogation monitoring network. A negative soil surplus implies that the phosphate removal was higher compared to the average phosphate added and therefore net phosphate was extracted from the soil. In 2020, the phosphate soil surplus was 10 kg/ha. The decrease in 2021 was caused by both a lower amount of phosphate added and a higher phosphate removal per hectare.



Negative phosphate soil surplus in 2021
In 2021, an average phosphate soil surplus of 4 kg/ha was realised, 14 kg/ha less than compared to 2020 and also 14 kg/ha lower that the long-term average. Over the entire period 2006-2021, the phosphate soil surplus shows a declining trend. In 2014, the average phosphate removal per hectare on farms in the derogation monitoring network was for the first time greater than the average phosphate added, so that the phosphate soil surplus was negative (-6 kg/ha) and so phosphate, net, was extracted from the soil. In 2016 and 2017, the average phosphate soil surplus was just below the equilibrium fertilisation level with -1 kg/ha. In 2018, the phosphate surplus increased to 17 kg/ha as a result of dry weather conditions, which meant that more feed had to be purchased and there was less stockpiling of roughage. The year 2021 had favourable growing conditions with high grassland yields and therefore relatively much phosphate removal. For all years, the spread in the phosphate soil surplus per hectare was large. In 2021, the 25% farms with the lowest soil surpluses had a surplus of less than -19 kg/ha, while the 25% farms with the highest surpluses had a surplus of more than 5 kg/ha.

The phosphate soil surplus was in 2021 the highest in the Peat region with an average of 1 kg/ha. In all other regions, the phosphate soil surplus was negative with -2 kg/ha in the Clay region, -4 kg/ha in the Sand-250 region, -9 kg/ha in the Sand-230 region and -11 kg/ha in the Loess region.



Feed largest phosphate added item, supply phosphate fertiliser to 0 
Over the entire period 2006-2021 there is an decreasing trend in the total amount of phosphate added to farms in the derogation monitoring network. The total amount of phosphate added amounted to 75 kg/ha in 2021, 5 kg/ha less compared to 2020. In all years, the amount of phosphate added consisted largely of phosphate added via feed. In 2021, it was on average 67 kg/ha. The contribution of fertilisers, organic manure, animals and plant products to the total phosphate removal was small, with a total of more than 8 kg/ha in 2021. The decrease in the total amount of phosphate added in 2021 was entirely the result of less phosphate added via feed. The total amount of phosphate added in 2021 was highest in the Sand-230 region with 93 kg/ha followed on a distance by the Peat region with 70 kg/ha and the Clay region with 69 kg/ha. Phosphate added in the Sand-250 and the Loess region was the lowest with 59 to 61 kg/ha respectively.

The use of phosphate fertilisers has decreased to rounded off 0 kg/ha. In 2006, an average of 11 kg of phosphate fertiliser was used per hectare. In 2009 this had decreased to 3 kg/ha and since 2015 this has been rounded off 0 kg/ha. By tightening the phosphate application standards, the farms in the derogation monitoring network have increasingly opted to fill the phosphate application capacity with livestock manure. As of 2014, the use of fertiliser phosphate is no longer permitted on derogation farms. 2014 was a transition year in which use was still possible under certain conditions.



Phosphate removal increased in 2021
Phosphate removal takes place in the form of animal products, organic manure, animals and plant products. In 2021, the total phosphate removal increased to an average of 79 kg/ha, 9 kg/ha more compared to 2020. This increase is the result of an increase in the removal of phosphate via vegetable products from 5 kg/ha in 2020 to 15 kg/ha in 2021. Removal of vegetable products concerns the construction and possible sale of roughage and this disposal item has increased as a result of higher grassland yields in 2021. Over the entire period 2006-2021, an increasing trend in the total phosphate removal from farms in the derogation monitoring network is observable. Especially in the years 2014 and 2015, the total phosphate removal was with more than 80 kg/ha high compared to most other years. In 2018, the total phosphate removal decreased to 69 kg/ha and remained approximately at that level in 2019 and 2020 with 70 kg/ha.

In the Sand-230 region, the total phosphate removal in 2021 was by far the highest at 101 kg/ha. This was followed by the Loess region with 73 kg/ha, the Clay region with 71 kg/ha and the Peat region with 69 kg/ha. The total phosphate removal was the lowest in the Sand-250 region with 63 kg/ha.




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Marga Hoogeveen
+3170-3358325
 

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