Section: CRUFI Features

Ammonia and sulphur, as essential raw materials, underpin and drive fertilizer production costs. A steep and sustained rally has seen prices for both commodities reach new heights in recent months.

The delivery of nitrogen in nitrate form can deliver superior yields and quality in arable, fruit and vegetable crops. Because of this, production and consumption of the principal nitrate fertilizers – ammonium nitrate (AN), calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), potassium nitrate (NOP) and calcium nitrate (CN) – continue to grow.

Potassium nitrate is an efficient speciality fertilizer, being able to produce more for less. Whether applied to soils, via fertigation or through foliar application, it improves water use efficiency while boosting the uptake of potassium and other nutrients. Katja Hora and Harmen Tjalling Holwerda of SQM International highlight the main advantages of supplying potassium nitrate to crops.

A holistic understanding of the phosphate milling process is necessary, says Ian Hancock of Bradley Pulverizer. This ensures maximum plant uptime, the highest process efficiencies, and ultimately guarantees profitability.

One year on from the launch of its Farm to Fork Strategy, the European Commission is still failing Europe’s farmers, says Igor Shmidt, EuroChem Group’s head of public affairs.

During this time of disruption, keeping connected and informed has never been more important. While the in-person events the industry usually relies on are not possible, CRU’s virtual Sustainable Fertilizer Production Technology Forum, 20-23 September, offers exceptional information sharing and networking opportunities.

Polysulphate is an affordable, easy-to-use, multi-nutrient fertilizer with a low environmental impact. ICL’s chief agronomist, Patricia Imas, highlights the crop benefits of this natural and high-value product.

The crushing and grinding of mined phosphate rock and potash ore is a vital preparatory step for subsequent beneficiation and chemical processing. Although often overlooked, the efficiency of downstream P & K fertilizer production is heavily reliant on successful particle size reduction upstream.

We highlight the large-scale nitrogen projects that are currently under development across the globe – with a focus on ammonia and urea technology licensors and engineering contractors.

The European Union is seeking to create a climate-neutral and circular economy through its flagship Green Deal policy. The fertilizer industry can support these objectives by adopting inhibitor treatment technology (ITT) and controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs) based on biodegradable polymers. These two innovations have a vital role to play in improving nitrogen use efficiency and the shift towards more sustainable resource use, says Dr Matthias Potthoff of thyssenkrupp Fertilizer Technology.