Nitrogen-retaining fertiliser to shake up market

THE recent launch of Koch Advanced Nitrogen promises a rare shake-up of the Irish nitrogen fertiliser market.

Farmers have long wrestled with the decision to opt for urea with 46% nitrogen or CAN with 27%. This spring, CAN cost about 1.11c/kg of N, while urea cost 0.87c/kg.

However, nitrogen in urea fertiliser is lost by volatilisation to the air (conversion to ammonia gas).