Fertiliser use in the Bay of Plenty, Waikato and South Auckland regions

Abstract

In the area from Taupo to Auckland, and North Island wide, BOP Fertiliser Ltd, Mt Maunganui, supplies some 700 000 t of fertiliser annually. In the years 1994/95, 1995/96 and 1996/97 total fertiliser sales were 668 900, 700 700 and 678 100 respectively. BOP Fertiliser supplied fertiliser to approximately 50% of New Zealand dairy farms. Nitrogen was applied to 91% of dairy farms at an average annual input of 58 kg N/ha. Less than 4% of farms applying N received >200 kg N/ha. Some 23% of dairy farms received less than maintenance P (30 kg/ha). A review of soil fertility levels on dairy farms in 1996/97 using soil test results from the Soil Fertility Service laboratories at Ruakura suggests some 38% of Olsen P values on dairy farms were below optimum (