On responsible fertilizer use

Being able to grow crops sustainably, whilst making a profit and without negative effects on the land and environment are the long-term challenges of every farmer on earth. Restoring, maintaining and preferably increasing soil productivity are essential for sustainable crop production, and a proper and balanced nutrient supply is important for maintaining soil productivity and reducing soil degradation. Mineral fertilizers are indispensable in this respect whilst also having a positive effect on the environment in several ways.

The investment Yara makes in mineral fertilizer products and nutrient advisory systems are helping to meet this challenge.

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Plants need enough of the appropriate nutrients to reach their growth potential. Used correctly, fertilizers provide this, thereby optimizing inputs and achieving full economic yield. Higher crop yields also mean increased amounts of crop residues like straw and roots, which are vital to avoid soil degradation. If you use too much, you waste money and risk loss of nutrients to the wider environment. If you use too little, you lose money through reduced yield and use your land inefficiently, which is why Yara is committed to helping farmers apply mineral fertilizers correctly and responsibly.

Which nutrients a plant needs to grow to it’s full potential, depends on a combination of interacting factors: The soil, specific demands and usage of the crop, the available nutrient sources and the weather. This makes selecting the correct ratio of nutrients, plus the most efficient amounts and time to apply them, a complex process.

Fertilizers are environmentally benign products, as long as they are used correctly. They consist of naturally occurring plant nutrients and are not toxic to soil or water. Nitrogen is the most important nutrient for increasing crop yields. However, nitrogen can be lost from the soil to water by leaching and to the air by de- nitrification or volatilization. Most countries set limits on the amount of nitrogen in drinking water so leaching losses must be minimized. Good management of livestock manure is also important for minimizing losses to both air and water.

Matching nutrient supply to crop need ensures that the optimal amount of nutrient is used.

Yara not only supplies high quality fertilizers for most crops. We also develop tools that determine which nutrient a crop needs, and the correct amount and time of application. Our tools include: YaraPlan, a crop recommendation program; Megalab, an internet based program which converts soil and leaf analysis results into crop specific recommendations; N-tester and N-Sensor, respectively, hand-held and tractor cab- mounted based tools that measure and recommend the crop’s exact need for nitrogen.