Large areas of the UK’s arable acreage could afford to take a “phosphate and potash holiday” this year, without hitting crop yield, according to precision-farming outfit SOYL.

Based on soil samples taken from around half a million hectares, the company reckons a third of the UK’s arable area needs no phosphate (P) this year and a quarter needs no potash (K).

And, given the continuing high cost of fertiliser, this translates into an average saving of £60/ha, claims the company.

“Our figures show there are plenty of growers out there who can afford the luxury of a P and K holiday on parts of their fields,” says SOYL general manager Simon Parrington. Some 36% of the UK cropped area has an index of 3 or more for P, while 26% has an index of 3 or more for K.

But equally there is a similar area for which the P and K indices are worryingly low.

Using data generated by SOYL, growers are advised to build up P and K in areas where indices are low, while cutting down rates where indices are high.

Overall the company estimates that average savings have leapt from around £12/ha to £60/ha, given the high cost of P and K.

• For a comment on this story, see Phil Clarke’s Business Blog.