In the coming years the average annual consumption growth rate of 2.5% will be exceeded only in the following regions: Eastern Europe and CIS (3.5% a year), South Asia (2.9%) and South-Eastern Asia (2.9%).
By 2010 world demand for fertilizers will grow by an average of 1.6% 167.1m mt/y. The highest rise in demand is expected for the following fertilizer groups: potassium (an average of 2% a year) and phosphorous (1.9%), nitrogenous (1.4%).
The world market for nitrogenous fertilizers in the coming years will be dominated by the developing countries which account for 45% of global production and 66% of consumption worldwide. The slight gain in the demand for fertilizers in North America may arise from the expansion of agricultural areas, of course, subject to the rate of fertilizer introduction into soil. Western Europe will see the decrease in nitrogen fertilizer use. The decrease will be caused by two factors. Firstly, the market is oversupplied with cheap agricultural commodities which leads to the changes in the European Union’s common agricultural policy targeted at agricultural acreage diminution. Secondly, the relative level of fertilizer introduction is considered to reach its optimal point in terms of agricultural efficiency and ecological safety.
The main feature of the mineral fertilizer market in Russia is the low level of fertilizer consumption on the domestic level. Thus, the average level of fertilizer introduction into the soil is 90kg/ha in India, 130kg/ha in the USA, 300kg/ha in China, 550kg/ha in Netherlands. In Russia, this parameter does not exceed 8kg of active nutrient substances per 1 hectare. This is caused by the low purchasing ability of Russian agricultural entities. Nitrogenous fertilizers account for 49% of the total fertilizer amount produced in Russia. Over the recent years, production growth rates have decreased.
There are three major elements needed to increase plant growth: potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen. Fertilizers are made of combinations of these three elements in order to grow healthier and stronger plants. As the world population increases drastically, there is a constant search for the ways to produce more food to keep up with the exponential growth of the human population. Fertilizer has become and will continue to be an essential part of our existence. The commercialization of fertilizer production can be attributed to Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch for developing the synthesis process for ammonia. This process served as the basis for creating most nitrogen fertilizers. Plants need nitrogen and they absorb it commonly through the nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium (NH4+) ions formed by the disassociation of ammonium nitrate. Ammonia is an important part in the creation of fertilizers. Presently, it is the most important source of nitrogen for fertilizers.
The Nitrogenous Fertilizers Market Research also features the following information:
The review of the market for nitrogenous fertilizers and the feedstock for their production;
Consumption volumes of nitrogenous fertilizersand the feedstock for their production, by region (incl. Russia);
Dynamics of prices for feedstock and ready-made fertilizers;
Trends in nitrogenous fertilizers consumption by 2010;
To name only a few subjects.
