Product application

Applying too much fertilizer is costly and counterproductive. It involves a risk for the wider environment. On the other hand, applying too little reduces yields and can result in inefficient use of land.

Yara works under the banner of “balanced fertilization,” which involves applying crop-specific fertilizers at the right stage of growth and in quantities that are environmentally sustainable. In addition to supplying a wide range of high quality fertilizers tailored to meet different crops’ needs, we have developed a series of tools to help customers find the correct fertilizer rate for optimum yields. These tools give farmers a means of controlling and fine-tuning application rates according to local conditions, allowing for more effective use of fertilizers, lower costs and minimum adverse effects on the environment.

Yara spends considerable resources on providing concise and useful information to customers. Our agronomists organize farmer meetings and training sessions in local markets to educate distributors and farmers on how to apply fertilizer in a responsible and effective manner. A series of nutrient guides, called Plantmaster, form the basis of this knowledge transfer. They give crop advice for major cash crops and are translated into a number of languages.

The extensive cooperation with local agronomists, wholesalers and growers provides useful input to Yara’s research and development activities. Agronomists from all over the world cooperate with scientists at Yara’s Research Centre for Plant Nutrition in Hanninghof, Germany, to design fertilizer application programs for various growing conditions around the world.

Yara has pioneered the use of Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) to study the environmental impact of fertilizers on agriculture. By analyzing the complete life cycle of fertilizers, from extraction of raw materials to harvesting of the crop, LCA enables comparative studies of different fertilizers and application rates, effectively pinpointing differences in environmental impact.

LCA is also used to assess the life cycle impacts of Yara’s industrial products, including the range of environmental applications.