On August 29-30, the China Water-Soluble Fertilizer and Stabilized Fertilizer Development Forum, held in Wuwei, Gansu Province, delivered exciting news. The forum featured four specialized sessions and thirty thematic reports, focusing on enhancing the quality and efficiency of chemical fertilizers and promoting green agricultural development. Representatives from government, industry, academia, research institutions, and extension services—both domestic and international—engaged in lively discussions and exchanges on topics including the use of inhibitors at home and abroad, as well as the development of stabilized fertilizers and water-soluble fertilizers. The event was marked by a vibrant exchange of ideas, sharing of experiences, and an exceptionally enthusiastic atmosphere.

middle Gu Zongqin, Chairman of the China Nitrogen Fertilizer Industry Association

Gu Zongqin, Chairman of the China Nitrogen Fertilizer Industry Association, stated that currently, fertilizers account for 30% to 40% of the contribution to increased agricultural yields. However, China’s fertilizer utilization efficiency remains relatively low, with nitrogen losses ranging from 30% to 50%. Water-soluble fertilizers and stabilized fertilizers are globally recognized as effective means of significantly improving fertilizer use efficiency, and they represent a strategic pathway for the green development of China’s fertilizer industry. Over the next five to ten years, mainstream fertilizers such as conventional urea used in agriculture will undergo a comprehensive transformation and upgrade into green products characterized by higher efficiency in delivering essential nutrients. We believe that water-soluble fertilizers and stabilized fertilizers will give rise to new business models in China, making significant contributions to reducing fertilizer application while enhancing efficiency and promoting green agricultural production.

Zhang Fusu, Director of the National Institute for Green Development of Agriculture at China Agricultural University and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering

Zhang Fusu, Director of the National Institute for Green Development of Agriculture at China Agricultural University and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, stated that China’s fertilizer industry has now entered a new era of green and efficient development. In this new era, fertilizer development must follow a path that is energy-saving, highly efficient, ecological, and environmentally friendly. This requires enterprises to design products that not only closely align with agricultural production but also meet the growing demand for green consumption. As a hub integrating research, industry, academia, and extension, our goal is to develop fertilizers that can be used efficiently. Water-soluble fertilizers and stabilized fertilizers—fertilizers whose high efficiency has already been proven in practice—will undoubtedly provide strong technological support for China’s green fertilizer development.

Gao Xiangzhao, Chief Expert at the National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Water-soluble fertilizers and stabilized fertilizers are a class of products that can significantly enhance fertilizer utilization efficiency by systematically improving “fertilizer nutrient functions, root absorption capabilities, and soil environmental functions,” thus aligning with the demands of high-quality agricultural development. Gao Xiangzhao, chief expert at the National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, has provided clear guidance on how the industry should adjust its development strategies.

Zhang Chenglin, Professor at South China Agricultural University and Director of the Crop Nutrition Research Laboratory

Zhang Chenglin, a professor at South China Agricultural University and director of the Crop Nutrition Research Laboratory, believes that water-soluble fertilizers enable precise fertilization and effectively enhance fertilizer utilization efficiency. The key to fertilization lies in helping farmers scientifically master advanced and efficient fertilization techniques.

Professor Zhang Weifeng, China Agricultural University

At the special forum on urease inhibitors, nitrification inhibitors, and stabilized fertilizers, Dr. Wei Zhanbo from the Shenyang Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Bao Wan Kui, an assistant researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; and Professor Zhang Weifeng from China Agricultural University each delivered keynote reports from the perspective of industry development, covering the current status of inhibitor and stabilized fertilizer development, standard-setting efforts, and field demonstration trials. Zhang Weifeng pointed out that in the Hetao region, corn yields can achieve nitrogen use efficiencies as high as 60.02% and 58.32% respectively when using controlled-release fertilizers optimized with urease and nitrification inhibitors, thereby reducing costs, increasing farmers’ incomes, and protecting the environment.

Ding Hui, Senior Manager, Fertilizer Efficiency Enhancer Project, BASF (China) Co., Ltd.

Ding Hui, Senior Manager of the Fertilizer Efficiency Enhancer Project at BASF (China) Co., Ltd., believes that nitrogen stabilizers can enhance nitrogen utilization efficiency, enable reduced fertilizer application with increased effectiveness, significantly lower farmers’ agricultural production inputs, and boost their income—all of which have been internationally validated.

Shen Bing, Deputy General Manager of Haiyou Fudao (Shanghai) Chemical Co., Ltd. and a participant in the conference, stated that trials conducted across different regions and on various crops have shown that value-added fertilizers with synergists can increase yields of grain crops by 14% to 17% compared to conventional fertilizers, while also offering the potential to reduce fertilizer application rates by 10% to 30%. Under equivalent application rates, value-added fertilizers can boost yields by 6% to 30%; even when fertilizer application is reduced by 20%, these fertilizers still manage to increase yields by 4% to 16%, marking a significant leap from simply reducing fertilizer use without compromising yield to achieving both reduced fertilizer use and increased yields.

Zhang Huan, Chief Agronomist of Xinjiang Black Ecological Technology Co., Ltd.

The co-organizer of the conference, Henan Xin Lian Xin Chemical Industry Group Co., Ltd., shared at the meeting its successful experiences in new urea production, the synergistic effect of humic acid on fertilizers, and the application and promotion of intelligent integrated water-fertilizer systems. Zhang Yan, Chief Agronomist of Xinjiang Black Ecology Technology Co., Ltd., delivered a special report on the mechanism of action and application effects of humic acid on fertilizers.

Gao Yu, Deputy General Manager of Gansu Wuwei Jincang Biotechnology, China’s largest manufacturer of fertilizer inhibitors, stated that the company’s products are primarily exported to developed countries in Europe and the U.S. and supplied to large domestic enterprises. In recent years, inhibitors have been in short supply, which underscores the growing trend toward developing stabilized fertilizers.

At the meeting, companies including Kexi, Solvay, Nanning Hanhe, Yunnan Yuntianhua, Xinyangfeng Agricultural Science and Technology, and Guizhou Phosphate Group shared information on their efforts in the research, development, and promotion of water-soluble fertilizers and stabilized fertilizers.

Wang Hong, Director of the National Fertilizer Quality Supervision and Inspection Center (Beijing)

Wang Hong, Director of the National Fertilizer Quality Supervision and Inspection Center (Beijing), interpreted the newly revised standards for water-soluble fertilizers containing macronutrients. Participants also discussed the challenges and solutions related to the development of water-soluble fertilizers and stabilized fertilizers.

During the session, the delegates also visited the integrated water and fertilizer management farm and the liquid fertilizer blending station operated by Gansu Yasheng.

The conference is organized by the China Nitrogen Fertilizer Industry Association and co-organized by Henan Xin Lian Xin Chemical Industry Group Co., Ltd. It is supported by the Shenyang Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhai Jincang Biotechnology, and Gansu Yasheng Agricultural Comprehensive Service Co., Ltd. More than 200 representatives from institutions and enterprises including the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China Agricultural University, South China Agricultural University, Shenzhen Bata, and Guizhou Phosphate Group are attending the conference.