Someone please explain fertilization contracts to me, as they only seem to lose you money.

[Faolan]

I'll start by mentioning that this is about FS22, but felt exactly the same way in FS19 aswell.

The story goes like so, I took three fertilizer contracts with a total payout of $4,371. I borrowed equipment for $71, lowering my total to $4,300. I then bought 3k liters of sold fertilizer for $5,460. Im now $1,080 in the negative. I complete all three contracts. One was worth $2,400 or about that, the other two where worth a little over $1,000 each. I returned the equipment with the fertilizer still in it. And made +$2,431. Keep in mind one contract was worth that. I lost the $2,000 from the other two contracts.

Also, why am I buying fertilizer with MY money, to go spread it on SOMEONE ELSE'S field? Shouldn't they be supplying it?

There are three more contracts for the same task. With a total value of, drum roll please. $1,224. A bigbag of fertilizer costs $1,820. I would literally be out $600 if i took those contracts.

From looking at this, it appears to me like fertilizer contracts either lose you money, or make such little profit that you could have spent your time doing something else that would pay you 4x as much. This could be argued for plowing jobs too.

Giants really should take a second look at those two contracts and make improvements. Honestly in my personal opinion fertilizer jobs and plowing jobs are not worth doing at all. That being said though, i do see how they could improve fertilizer jobs. There's two options, either increase the payouts by quite a bit, which they should do for the small fields as $400 bucks is just not worth it at all. Or, and this is the way I feel it should be done. The contracts supply you with the fertilizer you will need. (Which cannot be emptyed from the machine)

As for plowing jobs, they need to pay more for the time. Simple as that.

[Seedy]

I typically go with liquid, get my own equipment, or lease. use the "backpack" spreader that has a boom width of 24m (Hardi Mega) and the front tank to get extra volume.
I pallet of liquid fert costs almost $10K but lasts for many jobs, fills up the rig about three times. Don't think I ever had to refill it on a job.

[humbe]

Fertilizer contracts is the easiest money I find. With or without borrowing the equipment. But as its a quick job the pay isnt that big, but compared to time invested Id say its good.

You need of course to not waste more fertilizer needed and not use costly AI helpers..

Of course you pay for the fertilizer, as its your choice what fertilizer to use. The one offering contract dont want to pay for you using more fertilizer than needed..

[humbe]

Fertilizer spreader using solid fertilizer was cheaper per applied area than liquid in FS19. Not tested if same in FS22 yet but I assume so. You dont have to cover whole 100% of field either, so really try to avoid overlap. Doesnt matter if you miss a few spots here and there..

Also, each application of fertilizer typically overlap with the last one even at max application speed. Drive at max speed and if you need to cover a small patch you can try to line up the cart to just quickly turn it on and off again..

[Aholz89]

Well.. If I borrow equipment, I unload the fertilizer before completing the contract. It's still mine..

[Phi258]

It sounds like you are borrowing the equipment, buying fertiliser and then pressing finish contact; losing all the remaining fertiliser that you added in it. That is why you're encountering negative costs. You should unload it first of you plan to borrow equipment on each contact, then reload it into your next borrow.

Fertiliser and spraying contracts are the most lucrative in the game. For about £3,000 fertiliser, you can easily make about £20k on contracts before you run out. Buy the 45m fertiliser, it ain't much

[NDDan]

You just need to unload the fertilizer. On PC, it’s “ctrl+i.”

I think you will find fertilizer contracts to be one of the fastest and easiest ways to make money. It does not require a big tractor. If you want to do a lot, buy a spreader, solid or liquid. Solid is a little cheaper per acre. You can do about 12 acres per 1000l. Humbe has good suggestions. Be sure to use the guidance steering mod to maximize efficiency. Also, the refresh contracts mod will get you all the possible contracts. You will make good money fast.

[chale8]

I agree with what others have said, fertiliser contracts are easy money. I use the Amazone spreader that goes on the back of the tractor, usually I buy it because I’ll use it on my own land anyway. Fill it with fertiliser and you’ll get at least a couple of contracts out of it, either drive it yourself or if you hire a worker make sure they’re not buying fertiliser as they go. Stop as soon as the contract’s complete, you don’t have to do the whole field. Make sure you unload the spreader before returning if you’ve borrowed it, the unused fertiliser will spawn as pallets that you can re-use.

I’ve not checked this but I believe it’s cheaper to buy your own fertiliser than have the AI do it.

[humbe]

... Make sure you unload the spreader before returning if you’ve borrowed it, the unused fertiliser will spawn as pallets that you can re-use.

I’ve not checked this but I believe it’s cheaper to buy your own fertiliser than have the AI do it.

If I remember correctly, when I tested in FS19, you paid 25% extra for consumables bought by the helper, which is far more than the cost of fetching it yourself. I'm guessing same in FS22 but not tested yet, as I learned in FS19 not to enable it ;D

Excess fertilizer left in borrowed equipment should give you money back, so no need to unload it.. Unless of course you leased equipment yourself to cover multiple contracts.. But as said above, you need to fertilize own fields, so you'd want a nice fertilizer wagon anyhow and it doesn't require much of the tractor.. If you play with lime too, you'll need one of the few lime carts, and these are excellent for fertilizing. I typically buy the K105 very early on without upgrades, and then upgrade it later for wider working width and more storage space.

[Rasping rabbit]

If you buy your solid fertiliser from the multi buy silo you make even more profit as it’s a lot cheaper than in the store. Plus if you want that little bit extra and have borrowed the equipment, the amount you get reimbursed when you return the item is based on the store price, not the silo.

[chale8]

Excess fertilizer left in borrowed equipment should give you money back, so no need to unload it.. Unless of course you leased equipment yourself to cover multiple contracts..

I was going to say that the one time I returned a fertiliser spreader with fertiliser still in it I got no money back, but now I can’t be sure that I didn’t lease it myself so that may have been it.

[humbe]

If you buy your solid fertiliser from the multi buy silo you make even more profit as it’s a lot cheaper than in the store. Plus if you want that little bit extra and have borrowed the equipment, the amount you get reimbursed when you return the item is based on the store price, not the silo.

Well.. If you can use mods that lower price of the stuff you need, I guess you also could use mods that makes fertilize contracts give out x100 the amount of income .. Would be nice if mods balanced economy bits to not give an advantage compared to what's in the base game, or at least mark such mods as balanced in some way.. When playing to max profit, using many of the mods gives too much of an advantage compared to base game stuff.. In FS19 I've had to figure out balanced prices and deduct the extra money from savegame XML, in order to not feel like I was cheating when I wanted to use a given tractor or equipment piece..

[paul_c]

Contract income is £1975/Ha and liquid fert costs (reasonably accurately applied) are £500/Ha. So you're "making" a net income of £1475/Ha before equipment costs and whatever your time is worth. Now, the cheapest way to do it is to own equipment, run it into the ground and not maintain it (it still works at 0%, it just goes slower/less powerful....) so if you did that, and owned it anyway, its basically "free". If you borrow the equipment offered with a contract it will always be for solid fert though.

[paul_c]

ETA I think solid fert application cost is £450/Ha but I've not much data - maybe someone else can confirm/deny my figures?

[Seedy]

I am horrible with estimating where the solid fertilizer things will throw to, so I like using applicators that have an arm that shows me where it's going to apply.
No choice but to waste a bunch of lime, since it only comes solid.