Login

Publication > Issue > Articles

Australia's fertilizer market

Summary

Australia is hosting IFA's Crossroads Asia-Pacific conference in October. The country is home to fertilizer manufacturers such as CSBP, Incitec Pivot, Orica and Yara Australia.

Abstract

Australia is a vast and diverse country. Covering 7.6 million square kilometres and three time zones, it is the largest nation in Oceania and the world’s sixth largest country overall. With a population of 25 million, it remains relatively sparsely populated. The country is also said to be the oldest, flattest and driest inhabited continent on earth – possessing some of the planet’s least fertile and most highly weathered soils. Keywords: Country report, Australia, Fertilizers, Nutrients, Farming, Agriculture, Crops, Cereals, Wheat, Pasture, Grazing, Cattle, Sheep, Dairy, Sugarcane, Fruit, Vegetables, Market, Demand, Production, Consumption, Supply, Imports, Exports, Nitrogen, Phosphates, Potash, DAP, Diammonium phosphate, SSP, Single superphosphate, Urea, UAN, Urea ammonium nitrate, Ammonia, Incitec Pivot, IPL, Orica, CSBP, Yara, Perdaman, Karratha, Centrex Metals, Ardmore, Kalium Lakes, Beyondie

Add to basket


Micronutrient biofortification

Summary

Micronutrient-enriched fertilizers have a major role to play in tackling deficiencies in both crops and human diets. Zinc deficiency, in particular, affects nearly half of cultivated soils worldwide. The range of soil-applied, foliar and fertigation products are reviewed.

Abstract

Micronutrients are essential for plant growth and a necessary part of balanced crop nutrition. They include boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc. Although required in much smaller amounts, micronutrient availability is arguably as important to plant nutrition as primary and secondary macronutrients. A lack of one or more micronutrients in soil can still limit plant growth, even when adequate levels of other nutrients are present. Keywords: Speciality, Products, Specialty, Fertilizers, Micronutrients, Fertigation, Foliar, Chelated, Deficiency, Deficiencies, Boron, Zinc, Selenium, Hidden hunger, Biofortification, Cameron Chemicals, Advanced Micronutrient Products, Ultra Yield Micronutrients, Mosaic, MicroEssentials, Aspire, AMP, Compass Minerals, Wolf Trax, ProAcqua, Rocket Seeds, Nachurs, Yara, Kristalon, Rexolin, YaraVita, YaraMila, Eti Products, Eti Maden, Etidot-67

Add to basket


Maintain quality, minimise loss

Summary

The degradation of finished fertilizers during transport, handling and storage can be avoided by protecting surfaces with chemical agents. We survey the range of anti-caking, water repellent and anti-dusting additives currently on the market.

Abstract

Caking destroys value The caking of fertilizers, if not prevented, can be a major headache during storage, transport and field application. It can destroy the value of fertilizers, halt loading and unloading, damage handling equipment and be a safety hazard. Keywords: Fertilizer, Additives, Quality, Losses, Degradation, Urea, NPKs, Coatings, Anti-caking, Anti-dusting, Water, Moisture, Repellent, Caking, Dusting, Fertibon, Yara, Tropicote, ArrMaz, Arkema, Dustrol, Galoryl, Novochem, NovoFlow, NovoDust, NovoTec, Chemipol, Chemsil, Forbon, Hisoft, Neelam Aqua, Neelcoat, Urecoat, Kao, SK Fert, Uresoft

Add to basket


Next-generation fertilizer colourants

Summary

Novel colourant technology is creating new opportunities for fertilizer manufacturers. Milliken believes that the time is ripe for new colourant technology in agriculture, as Adam Newberry, Milliken's Global Product Line Manager, explains.

Abstract

Agriculture generates a world of wonderful colour – from bold red tomatoes and deep green spinach to golden yellow corn and vibrant purple grapes. Visual appearance – shape, colour or shade – is important in almost any product. Furthermore, decades of market research have shown that colour has a huge positive influence on consumer buying decisions. Yet, until now, due to several challenges, this rainbow of colours hasn’t been a significant feature of fertilizers – the key products that allow us to grow agricultural produce. Keywords: Fertilizer, Additives, Seed treatment, Crop protection, Agriculture, Liquid, Colourants, Colorants, Fertilizers, Water soluble fertilizers, WSFs, Milliken, Liquitint Agro

Add to basket


Enhanced nitrogen products

Summary

Enhanced efficiency fertilizers have a definite role to play in the sustainable increases in crop production that will be required to feed a growing population. Controlled-release and stabilised urea products are capturing a greater share of the market and being applied more to broad acre crops, as Solvay's Krish Shanmuga explains. Asia, in particular, is showing huge potential for stabilised nitrogen fertilizers, as is Europe, where the introduction of new regulations is expected to boost demand.

Abstract

Introduction With the world’s population expected to exceed nine billion by 2050, feeding everyone will require worldwide food production to increase by an estimated 70 percent over the next 30 years. Maintaining global food security in the face of population growth and limited land resources – and doing so sustainably – is one of the humankind’s greatest challenges. Consequently, there is a clear agronomic, economic and environmental need for innovative technologies capable of boosting crop production while achieving this in the most sustainable way. Keywords: Speciality, Specialty, Fertilizers, Inhibitors, Urease, Nitrification, Inhibitor, Inhibited, NI, UI, Denitrification, Ammonia, Nitrous oxide, Volatilisation, Volatilization, Controlled release, CRFs, Slow release, SRFs, Urea, Formaldehyde, Sulphur, Coated, SCU, Polymer, PSCU, Stabilised, Stabilized, SFs, Enhanced efficiency, EEFs, SCRSFs, Nitrogen, Markets, Demand, Producers, products, Turf, Ornamental, Horticulture, Crops, Broad acre, Losses, Use efficiency, NUE, BASF, Corteva, EuroChem, Koch, Solvay, Haifa, ICL, Kingenta, Nutrien, Limus, Instinct, N Serve, Entec, Agrotain, Super U, Centuro, Anvol, AgRho, N Protect, NH4 Protect, Dual Protect, NBPT, NPPT, DMPP, Duromide, Nitrapyrin, Pronitridine, DCD, Multicote, Osmocote, Ekote, Polyon, ESN

Add to basket


Improving nutrient use efficiency

Summary

More of the nutrients applied to soil will need to be taken up by crops, rather than being lost to the environment, if we are to produce more food from the same area of land in future. New controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs) suitable for broad-acre agriculture show great potential for improving crop yields and improving farm economics while minimising nutrient losses. Harold van der Zande, business development manager at Stamicarbon, explains how 'smart' fertilizers such as CRFs can bring about a step-change in nutrient use efficiency.

Abstract

The food challenge We need to produce much more food. That is the stark challenge facing world agriculture as we move towards 2050 with a global population approaching 10 billion inhabitants. The future food challenge is a dual one too. It involves satisfying both growing demand for more food and growing demand for better quality food – that includes an ever greater appetite for meat and dairy products as we become more prosperous. Keywords: Speciality, Specialty, Smart, Fertilizers, Stamicarbon, Pursell Agri-Tech, PAT, CRFs, Controlled release, Nutrient use efficiency, NUE, Sustainability, Corn, Broad acre, Crops, Yield, Farm economics, Production, Technology, Demonstration plant, Sylacauga, United States

Add to basket


Kingenta, the global innovator

Summary

We profile Kingenta Ecological Engineering Group, China's leading compound and speciality fertilizer producer. With its growing international presence, ambitious retail expansion and commitment to innovation and sustainability, Kingenta is helping reinvent fertilizer manufacturing for the 21st century.

Abstract

Kingenta has grown exponentially from relatively modest beginnings in just over two decades (see box). Founded in 1998, the company first entered the Chinese fertilizer market with the start-up of a single 50,000 tonne capacity fertilizer production line. Keywords: Company profile, Kingenta, Navasa, Compo, Ekompnay, Kingfarm, KLAD, Fer-land, International Finance Corporation, IFC, Research, R&D, Advanced soil technology, AST, Biostimulants, Speciality, Specialty, Fertilizers, Products, Innovation, Sustainability, Climate smart, Agriculture, Retail, Production, Controlled release, CRFs, Slow release, SRFs, SCRFs, Stabilised, Stabilized, SFs, Enhanced efficiency, EEFs, SCRFs

Add to basket


Enhancing urea with sulphur

Summary

Shell Thiogro Technologies are changing the way the fertilizer industry thinks about elemental sulphur, as agronomist Dr Kent Martin explains. Two innovative technologies from the company, Urea-ES and Special-S, are helping fertilizer producers diversify their product portfolios. Both products provide farmers with a flexible source of sulphur fertilizer and are well-suited to a wide variety of growing conditions and crop requirements.

Abstract

More from less The fertilizer industry is responding to the sustainable intensification of agriculture, and the need to get more from less in particular. Greater awareness of the need for nutrient stewardship, plus the rise of precision agriculture, are changing how farmers around the globe choose and think about their fertilizer inputs. Keywords: Product innovation, Fertilizer, Finishing, Technology, Granulation, Shell, Thiogro, Urea-ES, Special-S, Elemental, Sulphur, Micronised, Micronized, Enhanced, Urea, Crop trials, Corn, Yields, IPCO, Rotoform, Pastilles, thyssenkrupp, tkFT, Fluidised bed, Fluid bed, granules, H Sulphur Corp, Super S, Korea

Add to basket


The US fertilizer industry: sustainability champion

Summary

The priorities of the US fertilizer industry are becoming strongly aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Lara Moody and Melinda Sposari of The Fertilizer Institute explain how US fertilizer producers, distributors and retailers are raising the bar on sustainability and making a very real contribution towards SDGs.

Abstract

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an urgent call to action. The 17 SDGs, formally adopted by the United Nations in 2015, are designed to eradicate global poverty and create a more prosperous world. The culmination of decades of global collaboration, they recognise that efforts to improve health and education and tackle climate change will also bring economic benefits by spurring world growth. Keywords: Sustainability development goals, SDGs, The Fertilizer Institute, TFI, Sustainability, Climate change, Environmental protection, Fertilizers, Industry, Producers, Production, North America, United States, US, Farm Bill, Zero hunger, Nutrient stewardship, 4Rs, Water use, Water recycling, Clean energy, Renewables, Energy use, Heat recovery, Waste heat, Infrastructure, Investment, CO2 emissions, GHG emissions, Yara North America, CHS Shipman, Apache Nitrogen products

Add to basket


NPK production routes

Summary

Higher margins and better market growth prospects are behind the changeover in plant capacity from phosphate fertilizers to NPKs. Dave Ivell of Worley describes the main production routes for NPK manufacture – and their relative merits and demerits.

Abstract

Diammonium phosphate (DAP) and monoammonium phosphate (MAP) are mass-produced commodity fertilizers. As the most widely traded phosphate products globally, they adhere to narrow and very specific formulations. Keywords: The NPK process, Worley, Jacobs, Process, Production, Technology, Technologies, NPK, NPKs, NPS, APS, Diammonium phosphate, DAP, Monoammonium phosphate, MAP, Compound, Fertilizers, Bulk, Blending, Blends, Granulation, Steam granulation, Chemical granulation, Phosphoric acid, Sulfuric acid, Sulphuric acid, Ammonia, Urea, MOP, Potash, Granules, Recycle ratio, Mole ratio, MR, Pipe reactor

Add to basket


Casale's NPK production technologies

Summary

Single and dual pipe reactor technologies provide a safe, flexible and efficient way of producing solid NPKs. Casale's Jean François Granger describes their design features and main advantages.

Abstract

In 2014, Casale acquired from Borealis (formerly GPN) the complete set of process technologies for the production of compound fertilizers (NPKs), superphosphates (SSP, TSP, USP), nitric acid (NA), ammonium nitrate (AN) and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) solution. Keywords: The NPK process, Casale, Process, Production, Technology, Technologies, Licenses, Licensor, NPK, NPKs, NPS, APS, Diammonium phosphate, DAP, Monoammonium phosphate, MAP, Compound, Fertilizers, Bulk, Blends, Blending, Granulation, Steam granulation, Chemical granulation, Phosphoric acid, Sulfuric acid, Sulphuric acid, Ammonia, Ammonium nitrate, AN, Urea, MOP, Potash, Granules, Recycle ratio, Mole ratio, MR, Pipe reactor, Single pipe reactor, Granulation pipe reactor, GPR, Dual pipe reactor, Dryer pipe reactor, DPR, DPR, Grande Paroisse, Borealis, GPN, GP

Add to basket


EuroChem's potash ramp-up

Summary

EuroChem Group's $2.1 billion Usolskiy project in Russia's Perm region is now fully operational, while work continues at its sister project, the $2.9 billion VolgaKaliy mine in the Volgograd region, to enable it to enter production in late 2020. We provide an update on the first phase of both projects and their scheduled ramp-up in production.

Abstract

2018 saw EuroChem Group deliver on its ambition to break into the potash market as a world-scale producer. In a landmark moment, the company’s $2.1 billion Usolskiy mine and beneficiation complex in Russia’s Perm region began test production in March last year. Keywords: Potash, Project, Report, Greenfield, MOP, Muriate of potash, Potassium chloride, EuroChem, United Wagon, Kopeysk Machine Building, Ural-20R, Wagons, Usolskiy, VolgaKaliy, Perm, Volgograd, Investment, Mining, Ore, Mineral, processing, Production, Beneficiation, Flotation, Export, Russia, Progress, Ramp up, Commissioning

Add to basket