As we all know, fertilizer is the "grain" of crops. With the continuous increase of crop yields, chemical fertilizers have become increasingly important in agricultural production. Fertilizer input is the largest input in agricultural production. The results of a survey conducted by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in 3,282 rural households in more than 200 counties across the country in 2007 showed that chemical fertilizer input accounted for 39.3% of total input, 12.9% of seeds, and 11.7% of pesticides. 9.9%, 9.5% of arable land, 6.9% of irrigation, and farmers spend approximately RMB320 billion annually to purchase chemical fertilizers. Since China began producing chemical fertilizer in 1901, it has been more than a century, but it has been extremely slow in the first half of the century. After the founding of New China, the fertilizer industry got great development. At present, China's nitrogen fertilizer and phosphate fertilizer are more than self-sufficient. ?
With the changes in farmers' fertilization habits, how can China's chemical fertilizer production structure adapt to the needs of consumption? This article puts forward some opinions and suggestions on the adjustment of China's fertilizer industry structure from the perspective of fertilizer use.
Status of China's Fertilizer Industry Structure
I. Fertilizer production structure
At present, there are more than 4,000 enterprises engaged in chemical fertilizer production in China. In 2007, China's nitrogen fertilizer production was 42.15 million tons (constrained, the same below), with 13.01 million tons of phosphate fertilizer and 2.68 million tons of potash fertilizer. In 2007, China's agricultural demand consumed about 30.5 million tons of nitrogen fertilizer, about 13 million tons of phosphate fertilizer, and about 7.5 million tons of potassium fertilizer. As a result, China's annual nitrogen fertilizer production surplus is about 700-800 million tons (industrial use 4 million tons), there is a slight surplus of phosphate fertilizer, and the gap of potash fertilizer is about 6 million tons (1.2 million tons for industrial use). At present, China has become the world's largest producer and consumer of fertilizers.
Second, the type of fertilizer structure
Judging from the types of fertilizer production, fertilizer production in China can be divided into three levels: The first level is large-scale fertilizer production enterprises that mainly produce raw material fertilizers, such as ammonium phosphate. Although some of these fertilizers are directly used in farmland, they are more. It is used for the production of other fertilizers; the second level is the processing level based on raw material fertilizers. The enterprises at this level do not produce nitrogen directly, nor do they mine phosphate and potassium, but use existing raw material fertilizers. Such as urea, ammonium phosphate, etc. for secondary processing, production of complex (mixed) fertilizer; the third level is a new type of fertilizer, this layer mainly produces different types of new fertilizers, including the middle amount of element fertilizer, trace element fertilizer, biological fertilizer and slow / Controlled release fertilizers, etc. Although the proportion of these fertilizers is small, there are a large number of companies.
Problems in the Structure of Fertilizer Industry in China
First, fertilizer costs
As mentioned earlier, fertilizer input accounts for a large proportion of agricultural production, and fertilizer prices directly affect farmers' investment in fertilizers. Most of the complex (mixed) fertilizers used in China are processed from raw material fertilizers. In the process of composite processing, there are certain problems in packaging, transportation, and processing. Some enterprises purchase fertilizers from large-scale fertilizer production plants to make raw materials for compound (mixed) fertilizers, unpack and process them, and then package them into finished fertilizer sales. This alone increases the cost of fertilizer by RMB 70/ton; In the production of compound fertilizers, if spray granulation or high-tower granulation is used to produce compound fertilizers, the produced urea must be remelted into urine, and then converted into compound fertilizer. Only urea granulation and remelting are used in this process. The compound fertilizer cost will increase by 80 yuan/ton. If you add freight and processing fees from the raw material production plant to the processing plant, and the same nutrient content of fertilizer to farmers, the price is likely to increase by 10% to 15%.
Second, the occupation of national transport resources
At present, fertilizers are directly used by farmers, and secondary processing accounts for part of the fertilizer production. Taking nitrogen fertilizer as an example, the output in 2008 was about 43 million tons, and the amount of nitrogen fertilizer was about 31 million tons. Of the 31 million tons that farmers use, how much is directly applied to farmland, and how much is through secondary processing, and it is difficult to estimate at present. Here, we calculate the nitrogen fertilizer sold by the supply and marketing cooperatives as direct farmer's use of farmland (because the majority of the fertilizers of the manufacturers who passed the secondary processing came directly from the manufacturers and did not pass through the supply and marketing cooperatives). In 2008, they sold through the supply and marketing cooperatives. Nitrogen fertilizer is 17.62 million tons, accounting for 56%, which means that about 40% of the nitrogen fertilizer is transported to the factory and processed into compound fertilizer before being transported to farmers. Thus, the amount of nitrogen fertilizer transported has increased by 40%. Although the railway implementation of the low agricultural tariffs policy supports agricultural production, it has caused tremendous pressure on China's transport capacity and also consumed more energy.
Third, secondary processing produces toxic and harmful substances
In the production of urea, the content of biuret in the product is strictly controlled, but the content of biuret in the compound fertilizer is not mandatory, especially after the urea is subjected to high temperature, biuret is easily produced, causing burning of seedlings, etc. phenomenon. At the same time, through secondary processing, it will also cause a certain amount of fertilizer nutrient losses.
Fourth, the concept of fertilizer confusion
According to the national standard "Fertilizer and Soil Conditioner Terminology" (GB/T 6274-1997), fertilizer is defined as "material that provides plant nutrients to its main functions." However, at present, in the production level of new fertilizer in China, the concept of fertilizer is obscured. At present, there are “sustained releaseâ€, “controlled releaseâ€, “loss of controlâ€, “biofertilizerâ€, “organic slow-release fertilizer†and so on in the market. Some of these concepts are not understood by the experts, let alone farmers. The language of our country is generally an important part of the back, modified part of the front. For example, calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer is a phosphate fertilizer containing calcium and magnesium. Its main component is phosphate fertilizer. However, nowadays many manufacturers produce silicon-calcium-phosphate fertilizers that farmers think of as phosphate fertilizers, but the phosphorus content is only 2%-3%. The use effect is poor. When the law enforcement agencies pursue investigations, the manufacturers argue that they are silicon fertilizers. The farmers simply do not understand What makes a difference is that it has caused poor fertilizer efficiency and serious waste, and there are even suspicions that pit farmers have harmed farmers.
Suggestions for adjusting the structure of the fertilizer industry
Based on the above structural problems in the production of chemical fertilizers, here are some suggestions for improving fertilizer efficiency, saving fertilizer resources and reducing fertilizer costs:
First, to extend the industrial chain of large fertilizer plants?
At present, China's urea and ammonium phosphate enterprises are basically producing single fertilizers. In China's fertilization structure, fertilizer compounding has become a major trend. If the secondary processing is performed, the production cost will increase a lot. Therefore, in order to reduce the production cost of the fertilizer, the fertilizer industrial chain of the large-scale fertilizer plant may be appropriately extended. For example, urea directly produces a certain proportion of compound fertilizer, not only eliminating the need for urea. Granulation, packaging, transportation and other aspects can also save costs, reduce nutrient losses, and prevent excessive production of biuret. For another example, the introduction of slow/controlled release fertilizer coating process, after the urea granulation directly coated, producing a certain proportion of slow / controlled release fertilizer, can save a lot of manpower, material and financial resources. ?
Second, shorten the transport distance
To limit the blind construction of compound fertilizer, the new compound fertilizer manufacturer must have more than one type of raw material fertilizer produced by itself, so as to avoid repeated transportation. ?
Third, limit the scope of BB fertilizer sales?
BB fertilizer is a concept introduced from abroad, but after China has come, BB fertilizer production has undergone great changes. It is blending but not bulk. If the BB fertilizer transportation distance is too long, it will undoubtedly increase the cost of invalid transportation. At the same time, BB fertilizer production has a strong pertinence and is not suitable for sales. Therefore, the state can limit the sales area of ​​BB from the industrial policy and reduce the invalid transportation. ?
Fourth, actively participate in soil testing and formulating fertilization to increase fertilizer efficiency?
Increasing fertilizer efficiency is the best way to reduce agricultural production costs and reduce the impact of chemical fertilizers on the environment. The soil testing and fertilizing action started in China in 2005 was aimed at improving the efficiency of fertilizers. At present, soil testing and formula fertilization has covered more than 2,600 counties across the country. We hope that enterprises will actively participate in soil testing and fertilization and strengthen agrochemicals. Service awareness makes fertilizer use more reasonable.
Fifth, the fertilizer industry should adhere to the principle of self-sufficiency?
There is a high correlation between food security and fertilizer application in China, and fertilizer application closely relates to food production. Although fertilizer manufacturers are not the so-called “three-high†companies, the high dependence of fertilizer production on resources and energy is an indisputable fact. In the context of global shortage of resources and energy shortages, China cannot rely on foreign resources to ensure its own food security. China's food security must have a certain amount of chemical fertilizer as a guarantee. Excessive consumption of energy and resources in China is not conducive to the sustainable development of China's grain production. Therefore, we must continue to use our country's fertilizer resources. ?
Under modern agricultural conditions, seeds, fertilizers and pesticides are important foundations for supporting food production. If there is no strong chemical fertilizer production system to safeguard China's grain production, the basis of food security is very fragile, and the fluctuations in fertilizer production and prices will have a major impact on agricultural production. It is hoped that the fertilizer manufacturers will pay attention to their own interests while also To care about China's "three rural issues" and food security issues.
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