Largest fertilizer shipment arrives from Russia

A Panamax vessel with 55,000 metric tons (MT) of urea fertilizer has arrived from Yuzhny, Russia in time to fertilize 360,000 hectares of rice and corn farms for the main cropping season.

The shipment was ordered and received by Philippine Phosphate Fertilizer Corp. (Philphos) at its modern port facility in Isabel, Leyte, the only fertilizer port installation that can accommodate such a large volume at any one time.

Considered the biggest single shipment of fertilizer to the Philippines in history, the load is equivalent to 1,100,000 bags, enough to provide the nitrogen requirement of more than 360,000 hectares of rain-fed and irrigated farms for one planting period. Records show the biggest volume of fertilizer that ever landed in the country was only 20,000 MT.

The entire 55,000 MT shipment is now being bagged at the Philphos plant for distribution to rice and corn farmers throughout the country. Philphos has ordered monthly shipments of the same volume in order to ensure availability of urea all year round.

Urea is the most widely used fertilizer for rice and corn. It contains 46-percent nitrogen which is a very important element for plant growth. Farmers use one to six bags of urea fertlizer per hectare in combination with "complete" NPK ferlitizer grades such as 10-15-15 or 14-14-14. It is used as a top dressing for most crops after a thorough basal treatment with NPK fertilizer.

Philphos is the largest manufacturer and exporter of NPK fertilizers in the Philippines. Being a by-product of the oil industry, however, urea is manufactured more cheaply by oil-producing nations. As a result, all urea fertilizers used in the Philippines are imported.

Philphos began to import urea for nationwide distribution only recently after it became privatized. As part of its corporate plan, the company intends to continue supplying Filipino farmers with affordable agricultural inputs to increase their yields and help ensure the nation’s food security.