After remaining at high levels for some time, the prices of many types of fertilizers have recently reversed course, helping farmers reduce the burden of input costs, especially for the upcoming summer-autumn rice crop.
Prices of inorganic fertilizers such as urea, DAP, NPK, and potassium have decreased significantly compared to last month.
Observations at distribution agents and agricultural supply stores in Vi Thanh city show that in recent days, the prices of many types of fertilizers have continued to fall sharply. Compared to more than a month ago, the prices of inorganic fertilizers such as urea, DAP, NPK, and potassium have decreased significantly. Currently, the consumption of many types of fertilizers is quite slow because the 2023-2024 winter-spring rice crop in many localities has entered the ripening and harvesting stage.
Mr. Nguyen Van Vo, owner of the Nguyen Van Vo agricultural supplies store in Vi Thanh city, said: “Fertilizer prices are stable. The current price of urea is 580,000-590,000 VND/50kg bag of Phu My Ca Mau urea, while DAP is 1,070,000 VND/bag of Hong Ha green DAP from China. The price of organic fertilizer has not changed since the beginning of the season, at about 270,000 VND/25kg bag, with an organic content of about 75%.”
According to Mr. Vo, there are two reasons why fertilizer prices are lower this year compared to last year. Firstly, the supply is abundant. Secondly, domestic factories are stable, so there is plenty of goods. Currently, the low price is due to a lack of demand from farmers; hopefully, sales will improve by mid-March.
Besides inorganic fertilizers, recently some farmers have been increasing their purchases of organic fertilizers for their orchards. At the same time, they are utilizing straw, animal manure, and other agricultural waste and by-products to make organic fertilizers for their crops, thereby saving costs.
The Thanh Tien Agricultural, Commercial and Service Cooperative, located in Tan Tien commune, Vi Thanh city, currently has 39 members cultivating over 80 hectares of pineapples. On average, the cooperative supplies approximately 182 tons of pineapples to the market annually. The drop in fertilizer prices has brought joy to pineapple farmers like Mr. Tran Van Ba, the cooperative's director. Input costs have been reduced, while pineapple prices remain high. Most farmers do not stockpile fertilizer but only purchase it when needed. Therefore, increased demand during the planting season often drives up fertilizer prices.
Mr. Tran Van Ba, Director of Thanh Tien Agricultural, Commercial and Service Cooperative, confided: "The price of fertilizer has dropped a little compared to before, but it is still at a high level. It has only decreased by about 40,000-50,000 VND per bag of fertilizer. For the cooperative, we only supply it to members in installments whenever they need it."
Not only are farmers reducing the use of chemical fertilizers, but they are also shifting towards prioritizing the use of organic fertilizers for their crops. Mr. Ho Ngoc Binh, Director of the Safe Agricultural Products Cooperative in Hamlet 7, Long Tri A Commune, Long My Town, said: Currently, the cooperative has 30 members. Besides growing vegetables in greenhouses combined with a water-saving irrigation system, the members also grow other agricultural products to meet market demand and avoid oversupply.
For a long time, people have prioritized using organic fertilizers. After mushroom cultivation, straw is collected and composted for later use. In addition, they contract with companies to obtain fertilizer to reduce input costs and increase profits after each harvest.
As the saying goes, "Water comes first, fertilizer second," meaning that in agricultural production, fertilizer is the most important factor after water. Therefore, to cultivate efficiently and achieve high yields, proper fertilizer application is essential. The decrease in fertilizer prices creates more favorable conditions for farmers to purchase and use it for their crops. This is good news, but in the long term, the agricultural sector recommends that farmers shift towards using organic fertilizers instead of chemical fertilizers, which will both reduce production costs and protect the environment.
According to scientists , to achieve effective results when using fertilizers or pesticides, farmers should adhere to the "four correct principles": the right type, the right time, the right dosage, and the right method of use. This will minimize input costs, increase productivity and product quality, and protect the environment.
Labor Hero, Professor, and Doctor Vo Tong Xuan, a leading expert in Vietnam's agriculture sector, stated: "If farmers change their fertilization methods and apply base fertilizer, they can reduce the use of chemical fertilizers by at least 30%, or even up to 40%. For example, with rice plants, applying base fertilizer before tilling and sowing allows the rice roots to come into direct contact with the fertilizer after sowing. Previously, fertilizer was applied on the surface of the soil, preventing the rice plants from absorbing enough nutrients for rapid growth. With urea applied, out of 10kg of fertilizer, the rice plants only absorb about 5kg at most, while the rest evaporates, increasing greenhouse gas emissions."
Text and photos: MONG TOAN
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