Market Trends of china specialty fertilizer Industry
The expansion of the cultivation area is driven by increasing demand for food and the country's goal to achieve self-sufficiency in staple food
- China's cultivation area for field crops expanded marginally from 126.6 million hectares in 2018 to 127.8 million hectares in 2022, representing 70.8% of the nation's total cultivated land. In 2022, corn claimed the largest share at 34.2%, trailed by rice and wheat at 23.6% and 18.3% respectively. This uptick in cultivation area is projected to drive up fertilizer demand in the country.
- China typically divides its field crop production into two seasons: spring/summer (April-September) and winter. Spring crops encompass early corn, early rice, early wheat, and cotton, while winter crops focus on winter wheat and rapeseed. Rice and corn, however, take precedence in China's agricultural landscape, accounting for a third of the nation's grain output. As the world's leading rice producer, China dedicated 30 million hectares to rice farming in 2022, yielding a bountiful 210 million tonnes. Key rice-growing regions span Heilongjiang, Hunan, Jiangxi, Hubei, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Guangxi, Guangdong, and Yunnan. China's corn production for 2022-23 was projected to hit 277.2 million tonnes, a 4.6 million-tonne increase from the previous year, buoyed by a successful harvest. The primary corn belts lie in the northeastern provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Inner Mongolia.
- While spring dominates China's cropping calendar, it faces some challenges during the hotter months of June and July. Given rice's status as a dietary staple for millions, the region's high temperatures and limited rainfall exacerbate mineral depletion in the soil, necessitating higher fertilizer application. These arid conditions can also curtail crop yields.
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About 28% of global nitrous oxide emissions from croplands are from China's agricultural lands
- Primary nutrients improve biochemical processes like enzyme activity in plants and promote plant cell growth. Primary nutrient deficiencies can impact plant health, development, and crop production output. The average application rate of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus collectively in field crops was 159.9 kg/hectare in 2022. The average primary nutrient application in field crops included 65.23% nitrogen, 28.07% phosphorous, and 6.68% potassium.
- Nitrogen ranks first in primary nutrients, as it is essential for plant metabolism and is a component of chlorophyll and amino acids. Nitrogen had an average application rate of 279.65 kg/hectare. This was followed by potash at 105.3 kg/hectare and phosphorous at 94.9 kg/hectare in 2022. The contamination of surface and groundwater with nitrogen and phosphorus has been considered a result of inadequate advice given to farmers regarding fertilizer application rates. About 28% of global nitrous oxide emissions from croplands are from China's agricultural lands.
- In 2022, the crops with the highest average nutrient application rates were cotton (255.41 kg/hectare), wheat (232.25 kg/hectare), corn (198.44 kg/hectare), and rice (157.76 kg/hectare). In 2022, cotton production amounted to 6.4 million metric tons, making China the world's largest producer, consumer, and importer of cotton. Around 20% of the cotton consumed worldwide is produced in China, and 84% of that production comes from Xinjiang.
- To meet the demands of a growing population, boosting crop production is essential; as a result, the application of primary nutrients in field crops is expected to grow from 2023 to 2030.
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OTHER KEY INDUSTRY TRENDS COVERED IN THE REPORT
- The growing interest in fruit and vegetable cultivation due to better market opportunities
- Based on the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture data, more than 48.6 million hectares of soil are deficient in zinc and manganese
- Magnesium is extremely soluble and prone to leaching in acidic and sandy soils.
- In China, irrigated croplands occupy the major portion, constituting about half of the total cropland area
- In China, rapeseed or canola is applied with higher amounts of micronutrients compared to other field crops
- Cabbage is a heavy feeder, and it quickly depletes the soil of nutrients; therefore, it needs a steady supply of water and nutrients throughout its growth period
- Calcium is applied in large quantities owing to its crucial for the development of plant tissues and for promoting plant growth
