Section: CRUFI Comment

2024 is my tenth year as editor of Fertilizer International magazine. But, having joined CRU in January, it’s also a fresh start.

In a recent webinar, Chris Lawson, CRU’s Head of Fertilizers, gave the CRU view on what 2024 holds in store for the global fertilizer industry. Here are CRU’s top 10 calls for the year ahead:

Brazil is a powerhouse agricultural economy, ranking as a top three global exporter of soybeans, corn and sugar. It is also the world’s number one producer and exporter of oranges and orange juice – as highlighted in our current issue (p18).

Antoine Hoxha, the new Director General of Fertilizers Europe, looks ahead at the future of the EU fertilizer industry, setting out his vision of an industry transformed by decarbonisation, new energy markets, sustainable agriculture and the circular economy.

Despite being an age-old industry, the phosphate sector remains vibrant and driven by a passionate commitment to leaving behind a sustainable world for future generations. Tibaut Theys, general manager of Prayon Technologies, explains how the industry, by implementing more efficient production processes and promoting responsible fertilizer usage, is working urgently to reduce CO2 emissions, as well as striving to minimise its environmental footprint.

Alzbeta Klein, CEO and Director General of the International Fertilizer Association (IFA), sets the scene for IFA’s Annual Conference in Prague, 22-24 May.

2022 was another very good year for Nutrien, the world’s largest crop nutrient company. The Canadian-headquartered fertilizer giant produces around 27 million tonnes of potash, nitrogen and phosphate products annually from operations and investments in 14 countries, distributing these to agricultural, industrial and feed customers across the globe. Its agriculture retail business, Nutrien Ag Solutions, also serves more than 500,000 farmers worldwide.

After two turbulent years, could the fertilizer market finally start to stabilise in 2023? Well, that’s what Dutch agricultural finance house Rabobank is predicting…

The International Fertiliser Society (IFS) has launched FerTechInform, a comprehensive online technical resource for fertilizer production. The new digital resource combines an information knowledge base with an interactive forum for users. IFS Secretary Steve Hallam explains how it works, who it is for, and why it came into being.

T he high-price environment for fertilizers and other commodities, including natural gas, is having very different consequences globally.