How do we make our fertilizer?
As the global population grows, so does the need for a reliable, nutrient-rich food supply. Fertilizers play a crucial role in boosting crop yields, securing food supplies, and maximizing the efficient use of available land.
But what exactly goes into fertilizer production, what is fertilizer made of, and how are they produced?
What is fertilizer made of?
Yara fertilizers are made from raw, natural materials.
N
Nitrogen
Captured from the air and combined with hydrogen (sourced from natural gas) to create ammonia, the building block of nitrogen-based fertilizers.
P
Phosphorus
Sourced from phosphate rock, which is mined from geological deposits.
K
Potassium
Extracted from potash salts found in ancient seabed deposits, rich in potassium for plant nutrition.
Fertilizer production stages: From raw material to finished product
The journey from raw materials to finished fertilizer is a carefully controlled process that balances precision with environmental responsibility. Here’s how Yara transforms these core nutrients into fertilizers that support agriculture:
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First, nitrogen from the air is combined with hydrogen to form ammonia, the building block of most nitrogen fertilizers. This reaction takes place under high temperatures and pressures.
The ammonia is then processed to create essential fertilizer ingredients like urea, ammonium nitrate, and nitric acid. Finally, these ingredients are refined and adjusted to meet specific crop and soil needs, ensuring farmers can select the most effective fertilizers for their unique growing conditions.
Did you know that Yara pioneered the world’s first mineral nitrogen fertilizer?
In December 1905, Sam Eyde and Kristian Birkeland achieved this groundbreaking innovation, marking the beginning of Yara’s journey in sustainable agriculture. From these early days, Yara has grown into a global leader, now producing an impressive 26 million tons of fertilizer each year—including 13.5 million tons of calcium nitrate and NPKs.
Characteristics of Yara fertilizers
To meet the needs of diverse crops and local growing conditions, Yara produces both single-nutrient fertilizers and combination nutrient products:
- Single-Nutrient Fertilizers: Provide a specific nutrient, such as nitrogen (e.g., urea or ammonium nitrate), making them ideal for targeted applications.
- Complex Fertilizers: Each granule contains multiple nutrients for balanced, uniform distribution with every application.
Various fertilizer forms to meet modern agricultural requirements
- Granules and Prills: Hard, uniform particles for direct soil application, ideal for controlled nutrient release.
- Powder and Liquid Formulas: Quick-dissolving options for fertigation and foliar applications, allowing rapid nutrient uptake.
- Suspensions: Tiny, non-dissolved particles in liquid form, designed for foliar or coating applications.
Optimized physical properties for effective use
To ensure Yara fertilizers are easy to store, handle, and apply, the teams involved rigorously control key physical properties during fertilizer production. These attributes help fertilizers spread evenly in the field, maximizing benefits for crop growth:
Density
Affects how efficiently the fertilizer spreads
Shape & Size
Uniform granules reduce segregation risk, promoting even nutrient distribution
Strength & Free-Flowing Qualities
Durability during handling minimizes dust formation and caking, preserving fertilizer integrity
Rigorous quality control: Ensuring safety and reliability
Yara’s commitment to quality is summed up in its slogan: “What’s on the Bag is in the Bag.” This means that every bag leaving our facilities is backed by extensive quality checks to ensure the nutrients listed are precisely what farmers receive.
Chemical consistency prevents crop yield loss and quality issues by delivering accurate nutrient blends. Each batch of fertilizer is verified for compliance with industry standards and checked for low impurity levels, like heavy metals, well below regulatory limits.
Minimizing environmental impact in fertilizer production
With a commitment to quality, sustainability, and agricultural support, Yara is not only focused on productivity, but is also leading the way in creating fertilizers that nourish crops, support global food security, and protect our planet’s future. We continuously work to lower greenhouse gas emissions across our production facilities:
De-N20 Catalyst
Since 2005, Yara’s Porsgrunn facility in Norway has reduced CO₂ emissions by approximately 1.5 million tons annually by implementing this cutting-edge technology.
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
The CCS project at the Sluiskil plant in the Netherlands is set to capture an estimated 12 million tons of CO₂ over the next 15 years, further reducing Yara’s carbon footprint.
Yara Climate Choice™ Fertilizers Portfolio
This line of lower-carbon footprint fertilizers is produced using renewable electricity. By replacing fossil-based hydrogen with hydrogen from water electrolysis, production emissions are reduced by up to 90% without compromising efficacy.
