US company launches its ‘efficient’ fertiliser

Two new fertiliser products offer farmers the chance to cut costs and help the environment.

SFP, the Kansas-based firm that has developed them, was yesterday in Edinburgh to launch the polymer coatings which have already been shown to increase crop yields in the US while at the same time reducing the amount of fertiliser applied.

The polymers work by attaching themselves like magnets to the naturally occurring elements in soil so that the plants can make better use of phosphate and nitrogen.

SFP's Jake Sanders said with only 5-25% of the phosphate applied to land available to plants it made economic sense to tackle the issue. “No business can run with this sort of inefficiency where more than 75% of what goes on is lost," he added.

Early trials using a carrot crop in Angus had shown a 24 tonne a hectare (9.71 tonne per acre) increase in yields through using a polymer-coated fertiliser.

More research is being carried out by the Scottish Crop Research Institute, Scottish Agronomy and Harper Adams University. Results are expected early next year, although the trial at SCRI will be on show at its potato event tomorrow.

Bill Petrie, of Carrs Fertilisers, said SFP's nitrogen product offered several solutions to farmers in nitrate vulnerable zone as fertiliser application rates could be 10-15% or more lower yet produce the same yields achieved through higher levels.

It works on urea and prevents bacteria in soil turning it into the nitrates that leach into watercourses and which have prompted health and environmental concerns.

SFP's Anne Noble said with the European Commission looking at imposing even tougher restrictions on fertiliser use there appeared a chance for farmers to maintain yields while using less product.

A £55 a tonne fall in potash prices has, meanwhile, triggered orders, Mr Petrie said.