Let the “No. 1 Document” give new fertilizers an “accelerator.”

　　“Every year, China loses as much as 13 million tons of nitrogen—equivalent to the loss of over 32 million tons of urea. Each year, roughly 13 million tons of nitrogen end up entering the atmosphere and water bodies. Currently, the national utilization rate of nitrogen fertilizers stands at only around 35%, nearly 20 percentage points lower than that in developed countries, with a loss rate as high as 45%.” Recently, at the Executive Council Meeting of the “Stable Fertilizer Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance” organized by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dr. Shi Yuanliang from the Shenyang Institute of Ecology of the CAS presented these figures, highlighting the gap between China’s agricultural fertilizer use and that of developed countries.

 

　　In 2013, the Central Government’s “No. 1 Document” explicitly identified specific subsidized products such as “low-toxicity, low-residue pesticides and high-efficiency, slow-release fertilizers.” At the recent National Conference on the Promotion of Slow- and Controlled-Release Fertilizers, it was proposed that the National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center should further strengthen its efforts in testing, demonstrating, and promoting slow-release fertilizers and other new types of fertilizers.

 

　　China is the country with the widest variety and most comprehensive range of slow-release fertilizers, boasting over 20 years of development history. Currently, research in this field is at the forefront internationally compared to similar products worldwide. Since internationally, long-lasting slow-release fertilizers are referred to as “stabilized fertilizers,” in 2011, when the national industry standard was issued, the Shenyang Institute of Ecology adopted a “parallel implementation” approach, aligning their developed long-lasting slow-release fertilizers with the internationally accepted term “stabilized fertilizers.”

 

　　“Stabilized fertilizers can reduce nitrogen fertilizer application by 8% to 20%, effectively striking a balance between boosting agricultural yields and reducing energy consumption and emissions, thus fostering harmony between food production and environmental protection,” said Wu Zhijie, Chairman of the Stabilized Fertilizer Industry Technology Innovation Alliance and researcher at the Shenyang Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. These products, known as “stabilized fertilizers,” are mostly new environmentally friendly fertilizers produced using patented technologies and formulations developed by the Shenyang Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. This technology has twice received the Second Prize for National Scientific and Technological Progress—in 1998 and 2008. Twenty-eight large and medium-sized enterprises, including Shandong Shikefeng Chemical, Heilongjiang Beifeng Agrochemical Group, and Jiangsu Huachang Chemical Group, have adopted this technology. Currently, the nation’s annual production capacity stands at approximately 1.2 million tons.

 

　　“The ‘No. 1 Central Document’ has given us, enterprises engaged in the production and R&D of new fertilizers, a real ‘reassurance.’ It clearly defines our companies’ development direction. The environmentally friendly fertilizer—stabilized fertilizer—that we’ve been promoting for many years has now been included in the ‘No. 1 Document.’ We believe that with the support of national policies, the development of stabilized fertilizers will enter a fast track. We’re also confident that this high-quality fertilizer will gain widespread recognition among farmers and make an even greater contribution to China’s agricultural production,” said Xie Yongjun, a seasoned producer of “Shikefeng” compound fertilizers who deeply understands the market.

 

　　Lu Zongyun, Deputy General Manager of Shenyang Zhongke New Fertilizer Co., Ltd., the owner of the technology’s patent, explained that stabilized fertilizers play an irreplaceable role in no-replenishment fertilization techniques for spring corn in Northeast China and summer corn in the Central Plains, as well as in reduced-fertilizer practices for rice and wheat. According to demonstration trials conducted across 22 provinces nationwide, these fertilizers can generate an additional income of 188 yuan per mu. Currently, they are being promoted annually across approximately 25 to 30 million mu, potentially boosting agricultural incomes by over 4 billion yuan each year.

 

　　“For years, companies have been striving to promote this type of fertilizer. However, due to factors such as chaotic market competition, false advertising, and fertilizer prices, the development of stabilized fertilizers has failed to achieve the expected results—and currently, stabilized fertilizers account for only 3% of all fertilizers available nationwide,” said Wu Zhijie, Chairman of the Strategic Alliance for Technological Innovation in the Stabilized Fertilizer Industry, a statement that resonated deeply with businesses. “Stabilized fertilizers show promising performance in the field, with excellent utilization rates and yield-increasing effects. Farmers are gradually recognizing these benefits—but national support policies haven’t kept pace. As a result, almost all the promotional efforts are being undertaken by the companies themselves.”

 

　　“The Future Alliance will focus on developing stable fertilizers and addressing issues related to product standards, testing methods, alliance labeling, anti-counterfeiting measures, as well as end-user promotion and market integration, ensuring that stable fertilizers truly become widely recognized and trusted household products in China,” said a group of soil and fertilizer researchers led by Dr. Shi Yuanliang from the Shenyang Institute of Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with producers in the stable fertilizer industry. They believe that how policies are guided is crucial for enterprise development. The subsidies outlined in Document No. 1 for high-efficiency, slow-release fertilizers not only address issues such as increasing agricultural income and protecting the environment, but should also serve as an “accelerator” for the healthy development of stable fertilizers.

 

 

(Originally published in Science and Technology Daily, April 26, 2013, Page 12)