EDWIN C. KAPUSTA
I/EC
United States Potash Co., New York, Ν. Υ.
ANNUAL
R Ε
VIEW
FERTILIZERS 1956 the fertilizer industry saw I Ncontinued expansion of production facilities a n d notable advances in the technology of fertilizer manufacture. Plant food consumption continued to increase, setting a new record for the sixteenth consecutive year. I n 195455, the latest period for which com plete use d a t a are available, con sumption of primary plant nutrients (nitrogen, availablePaOs, a n d potash) totaled 6,119,841 tons. This repre sents an increase of about 3 . 8 % over 1953-54 usage. According to the latest U . S. D e p a r t m e n t of Agricul ture fertilizer consumption report, 1,960,563 tons of nitrogen, 2,284,362 tons of available P 2 0 5 , and 1,874,943 tons of K 2 0 were used in the U n i t e d States and its territories in the year ended J u n e 30, 1955. These figures represent increases of 6.12% for nitrogen, 2 . 2 3 % for available PaOs, and 3.38% for K 2 0 over the quanti ties used in the previous fertilizer year. Although plant food usage re corded an increase in 1954-55, the total tonnage of fertilizer consumed was about 0.22% lower than the tonnage consumed in 1953—54. D a t a from the U. S. D e p a r t m e n t of Agriculture indicate that 22,723,705 tons of fertilizers were used in 1954— 55 as compared to 22,773,499 tons consumed in 1953-54. T h e in creased use of plant foods in the face of decreased tonnage consumption reflects the continuing trend toward manufacture and use of higher analysis mixed fertilizers—mixtures containing higher concentrations of the primary plant foods. Figures compiled by the U. S. D e p a r t m e n t of Agriculture indicate that the 1955-56 supply of primary plant nutrients exceeded the 1954-55 supply by about 2 . 1 % . T h e 1955-56 supply of 6,593,000 tons of primary plant foods consisted of 2,303,000 tons 62 A
of nitrogen, 2,359,000 tons of avail able P 2 0 6 , and 1,931,000 tons of potash. These totals represent in creases of 2.3, 2.0, and 3 . 5 % , respectively, over the 1954-55 supply of these nutrients. Estimates for the current 1956—57 fertilizer year have not been released as yet. Nitrogen Industry Continues Expansion T h e domestic nitrogen industry continued to expand production facilities in 1956. Figures released by the U . S. D e p a r t m e n t of Com merce illustrate the phenomenal increase in domestic nitrogen produc tion capacity in recent years. O n J a n u a r y 1, 1955, 35 synthetic a m m o nia plants with a combined capacity of approximately 2,920,000 tons of nitrogen were in operation. By J a n u a r y 1, 1956, the n u m b e r of ammonia plants had increased to 43 with a capacity of about 3,353,000 tons of nitrogen. Latest estimates indicate that productive capacity on
Table 1.
J a n u a r y 1, 1957, m a y approximate 3,800,000 tons of nitrogen; 50 plants are expected to be in produc tion at that time. Completion of other plants and expansions now under construction or planned m a y result in a total productive a m m o n i a capacity of 4 million tons of nitrogen in 1957. Approximately three quarters of the nitrogen consumed annually in this country is used by agriculture, with the remainder going into in dustrial a n d military end uses. Although industrial uses of nitrogen should continue to increase there appears to be little reason to expect any significant change in the present relationship between agricultural a n d industrial use of nitrogen in the immediate future. T h e major por tion of any further increases in nitrogen production will of necessity have to be consumed by agriculture, if the reported present surplus in nitrogen supply is to be maintained or diminished. O n e report indicates that the surplus in nitrogen supply
Nitrogen for Fertilizer Purposes in United States and Possessions" Nitrogen, Short Tons 1955-56 Increase, 1954-55 supply* supply* % 530,000 — 11.1 471,000
Ammonium nitrate (all grades) Ammonium sulfate and ammonium sulfate8.6 nitrate" 324,000 352,000 0.0 Urea , 68,000 68,000 Other solids'' 252,000 225,000 — 10.7 Natural organics 36,000 33,000 — 8.3 Compound solutions" Ammoniation (mixing) 423,000 1.7 430,000 Direct application 35,000 114.3 75,000 Ammonia·' Ammoniation 168,000 189,000 12.5 Direct application 414,000 460,000 11.0 2.3 Total 2,250,000 2,303,000 ° Source. TJSDA, Commodity Stabilization Service Report, "Fertilizer Situatic.n for 195556," Supplemental Report, April 1956. b Trade delivery basis; adjusted for imports and exports. c Includes nitrogen content of ammonium phosphate from by-product ammonia. d Includes ammonium phosphates, sodium nitrate, calcium nitrate, cyanimide, and nitraphosphates. c Includes ammonia-ammonium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, and ammonia-urea solutions in water. / Includes aqua ammonia.
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Table II.
Phosphate for Fertil izer Purposes in United States and Possessions"
Available P 2 O s , Short Tons Material 1954-55 supply 6 1955-56 supply 6 Increase, % 1,468,000 Normal superphosphate' 1,494,000 - 1.7 Enriched superphosphate 41,000 35,000 -14.6 Concentrated superphosphate 561,000 626,000 11.6 6.5 Other'' 216,000 230,000 2,359,000 2.0 Total 2,312,000 a Source. USDA, Commodity Stabilization Service Report, "Fertilizer Situation for 195556," Supplemental Report, April 1956 6 Trade delivery basis; adjusted for imports and exports. c Includes wet-base goods. d Includes ammonium phosphates, basic slag, fused rock phosphate, liquid phosphoric acid, natural organics, colloidal phosphate, and rock phosphate applied directly to soil.
m a y continue to increase for at least another year, before consumption increases more rapidly t h a n available supply, thus bringing about a gradual reduction in the nitrogen surplus. Estimates of nitrogen supplies by type of product for the 1954-55 fertilizer years are given in T a b l e I. T h e decrease in net supply of a m m o n i u m nitrate for 1955—56 is due to the combined effect of in creased exports and reduced im ports of this material during that period. Domestic production of a m m o n i u m nitrate increased from 408,000 tons of contained nitrogen in 1954-55 to 420,000 tons of nitrogen in 1955-56. Decreases in net supply of "other solids" and natural organics were brought about chiefly by a decrease in imports of these materials in the 1955-56 period. Domestic urea production in 1955-56 exceeded 1954-55 production by about 12,000 tons of nitrogen. Again, increased exports and decreased imports during the past season resulted in no change in the net supply of urea. T h e past year witnessed a substantial increase in the supply of compound nitrogen solutions for direct application. T h e
Table III.
supply of a m m o n i a for ammoniation of mixed fertilizers and direct appli cation continued to increase in 1955-56. T h e continuing expansion pro g r a m in the synthetic nitrogen in dustry has been directed to a large degree toward increased production of solid a m m o n i u m nitrate a n d nitrogen solutions for use in direct application a n d in the manufacture of mixed fertilizers. U r e a produc tion has also increased and reports indicate that further increases will be forthcoming with the completion of units which are u n d e r construction or contemplated. Some major pro ducers of nitrogen solutions have introduced new types of nitrogen solutions designed to meet more effectively the varying needs of fertilizer manufacturers. M o r e con centrated nitrogen solutions of the a m m o n i a - a m m o n i u m nitrate type have been developed for use in fertilizer granulation processes. A variety of urea-containing a m m o n i a a m m o n i u m nitrate solutions have been introduced to aid in reducing physical condition problems in mixed fertilizers. U r e a - a m m o n i a solutions have also witnessed expanded appli cation in mixed fertilizer m a n u
Potash for Fertilizer Purposes in United States and Possessions" Material
1954-55 supply* ·" 1,705,000
KjO, Short Tons 1955-56 supply 0 ·Λ 1,780,000
Increase,
% .
Potassium chloride 4.4 Potassium sulfate and potassium magnesium sulfate 127,000 118,000 — 7.1 Manure salts 1,000 1,000 0.0 8 Other 32,000 32,000 0.0 Total 1,865,000 1,931,000 3.5 " Source: USDA Commodity Stabilization Service Report, "Fertilizer Situation for 195556," Supplemental Report, April 1956. b Deliveries as reported by producers. c Trade delivery basis; adjusted for imports and exports. d Est'd on basis of actual exports, imports, and deliveries up to March, 1956 and prospects or remainder of season rather than on quantities above ground at mines, or obtainable by import. » Includes potassium nitrate, potassium carbonate, cement-flue dust, nitrate of soda-potash, and natural organics.
facture. T h e past year saw ex panded production and consump tion of urea-formaldehyde polymers as sources of fertilizer nitrogen for use as such and in the production of mixed fertilizers for turf and garden uses. Concentrated Phosphates Increase T h e total supply of available P2O5 for fertilizer use increased by about 2 % in the past year. Although normal superphosphate remains by far the most impor tant source of fertilizer phosphate, the 1955-56 supply of normal superphosphate decreased slightly, while, with the exception of en riched superphosphate, the supply of more concentrated phosphatic fertilizers registered significant in creases. According to government estimates, domestic phosphatic ferti lizer production capacity on J a n u a r y 1, 1951, approximated 2.15 million tons of available P2O5. Present capacity is estimated at about 3.2 million tons of available P2O6. Reports indicated that in the past 5year period normal superphosphate capacity has increased by about 200,000 tons of available P 2 0 6 . T h e remainder of the increased phosphatic fertilizer productive ca pacity was in the form of the more concentrated phosphatic fertilizers. T a b l e I I presents the fertilizer phos phate supply situation of type of product. T h e trend toward increased pro duction of these more highly con centrated phosphate fertilizers should continue. Another nitraphosphate plant was recently completed in California. This is the third ferti lizer plant of this type to be built in this country. Nitraphosphate proc esses are based on the use of nitric acid for acidulating rock phosphate. Sulfuric acid, or phosphoric acid m a d e by treating rock phosphate with sulfuric acid, is normally used in the manufacture of phosphatic fertilizers. Increasing interest con tinues to be shown in a m m o n i u m phosphate fertilizers. New or ex panded facilities for the production of d i a m m o n i u m phosphate, employ ing by-product coke oven ammonia, have been announced within the past year. T h e Tennessee Valley Authority is producing d i a m m o n i u m phosphate on a demonstration plant scale at Wilson D a m , Ala. T h e expansion in production of VOL. 49, NO. 1
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the more concentrated phosphatic fertilizers in recent years was based to a major degree on the use of phosphoric acid. Wet-process phosphoric acid supplies about 9 0 % of the phosphoric acid used in the manufacture of higher analysis fertilizer phosphates such as triple superphosphate and a m m o n i u m phosphates. T h e remaining 1 0 % , derived from phosphoric acid m a d e from elemental phosphorus, is used chiefly in liquid and specialty fertilizers and d i a m m o n i u m phosphates, where the presence of insoluble impurities might prove undesirable. T h e U. S. D e p a r t m e n t of Commerce has estimated that wet-process phosphoric acid capacity on J a n u a r y 1, 1955, was 993,210 tons of P 2 0 6 equivalent to about 2,743,700 tons of 5 0 % H3PO4. This represents an increase of 1 1 4 % over the capacity in place on September 1, 1951. T h e combined capacity for wetprocess phosphoric acid a n d acid from elemental phosphorus totaled about 1,765,000 tons of P 2 O s on J a n u a r y 1, 1955. Reported expansions for both types of acid indicate that total phosphoric acid capacity m a y well exceed 2,000,000 tons of P2O5 by the middle of 1957. T h e use of phosphoric acid in the granulation of mixed fertilizers is receiving increased attention. Potash Situation Reviewed
T h e fertilizer potash supply situation is given in T a b l e I I I . T h e 1955-56 supply of potassium chloride, the major source of potash for fertilizer use, was about 5 % higher than the supply in the previous year. T h e supply of potassium sulfate and potassium magnesium sulfate declined by approximately 7 % . Deliveries of these materials from domestic sources increased from 107,000 tons of K 2 0 in 1954-55 to 113,000 tons in 1955-56, but the combined effect of increased exports and decreased imports in the latter period resulted in a net decrease in supply for the United States and possessions. Increased production of potash, principally in the form of potassium chloride, is anticipated in 1957. T r a d e reports indicate that one new company is slated to begin production at Carlsbad in the early part of 1957. Increased production from established producers has also been reported. Exploration of the C a n a 64 A
dian potash deposits is continuing. O n e domestic producer is currently engaged in sinking a mine shaft in this area. During the past year expanded interest developed in the use of granular muriate of potash in the manufacture of granular mixed fertilizers. M i x e d Fertilizers See Growth in Granulation and Liquids
According to latest fertilizer consumption figures compiled by the U. S. D e p a r t m e n t of Agriculture, 15,347,850 tons of mixed fertilizers, those containing two or more of the three primary plant nutrients—nitrogen, available P2O5, and potash— were consumed in the United States and territories in the year ended J u n e 30, 1955. This tonnage is approximately 1.2% lower than the quantity consumed in the previous year. As in recent years, mixed fertilizers continued to account for about 6 8 % of the total tonnage of all fertilizers used in 1954—55. Although the tonnage consumption of mixed fertilizer declined slightly, consumption of plant foods in the form of mixed fertilizers reached a new high in the past year. Consumption of nitrogen, available P 2 0 6 , and potash totaled 4,282,492 tons in 1954-55 as compared to 4,175,554 tons consumed in 1953-54. T h e v weighted average content of primary plant foods in fertilizer mixtures last year was 27.90%. This represents an increase of about 1 % over that of the previous year. T h e highest analysis mixed fertilizers were used in the West N o r t h Central region, where the primary plant food content averaged 36.49%. In the South Atlantic region, the primary plant food content averaged 2 2 . 8 1 % representing the lowest regional average plant food content of mixtures. Increases in plant food content of mixtures have been m a d e possible by the increasing availability of more concentrated plant food carriers used in formulating mixed fertilizer. Construction of new granulation plants and conversion of older producing units to permit granulation of mixed fertilizers continued at an accelerated pace during the past year. Granulation systems based on the TVA-developed continuous a m m o n i a tor proved to be most popular. Continuous pugmill type
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
and rotary batch mixing granulation processes also found expanded application. A new type of granulator ingeniously designed to provide a uniformly constant rolling bed of material was introduced to the fertilizer trade, and reports indicate its favorable acceptance. Also noted during the past year was an increase in the manufacture of granular mixtures m a d e by blending granular raw materials containing the primary plant foods. A measure of the conversion to granulation by fertilizer manufacturers is afforded by a survey completed in the past year by the U. S. D e p a r t m e n t of Agriculture, covering the sales of granulated mixtures in 1954-55. In that period, sales of granulated materials totaled about 1,332,000 tons or about 9 % of the tonnage of all mixed fertilizers consumed in the United States and territories. A total of 201 grades were reported sold in a granulated form. T h e top five grades of granulated mixtures were 12-12-12 (201,985 tons), 5-20-20 (163,515 tons), 10-10-10 (102,152 tons), 3-12-12 (84,939 tons), and 10-20-0 (63,590 tons). W i t h the exception of the 10-10-10 grade, about 8 0 % of this tonnage was consumed in the north central states. T h e largest quantities of 10-10-10 were used in the New England, M i d d l e Atlantic, and north central states. Approximately 7 0 % of the total tonnage of granular mixed fertilizers was consumed in the north central region, where higher analysis mixtures are most widely used. Complete mixtures— those containing all three of the primary plant foods—made u p about 84% of the total of granular mixtures consumed. I n 1954—55 a total of 97 companies, operating about 130 granulation plants, reportedly shipped granulated mixed fertilizer. It is extremely difficult to estimate with accuracy the n u m b e r of new granulation plants which were installed in the past year. A rough approximation would set this n u m b e r at 40 or more. A trend toward granulation is continuing a n d granulation processes should find even greater application in future years. O n a regional basis, granulation has proved most popular in the north central, New England, and Middle Atlantic regions. T h e West South Central region exhibited a n increasing interest in granulation
in the past year. It is estimated that from 15 to 2 0 % of all fertilizer mixtures produced in the past fertilizer year were in a granular form. T h e manufacture and use of liquid mixed fertilizers—those containing two or more of the p r i m a r y plant nutrients—increased appreciably in the past year. T h e use of these materials had originally centered principally in the far west and southwest regions. T h e use of liquid mixtures continued to grow in these regions. However, the central a n d eastern regions have witnessed substantial increases in the past two years. Reports indicate that approximately 80 to 90 plants are producing liquid mixed fertilizers in these regions. This is a b o u t twice the n u m b e r of plants in operation in the early part of 1955. If average yearly production per plant is assumed to be 1000 to 2000 tons, 1956 production might total between 80,000 and 180,000 tons. I n 1 9 5 3 54 total consumption of liquid mix-
tures was estimated at approximately 30,000 tons, about 20,000 tons of which were used in California alone. Although the manufacture and use of liquid mixtures have grown rapidly in the past year, compared to solid mixtures, liquids still constitute a very minor portion of the total mixed fertilizer market. After several years of study and discussion by groups representing the Soil Science Society of America, the American Society of Agronomy, and the Association of American Fertilizer Control Officials, at its a n n u a l meeting in October 1956 adopted a resolution calling for a change in fertilizer guarantees from an oxide to a n elemental basis. This proposed change applies to phosphorus and potassium, since nitrogen guarantees have been on an elemental basis for m a n y years. Phosphorus is now guaranteed in terms of available P2O5 and potassium as K2O. T h e proposed change in
guarantees would necessitate changes in the fertilizer control laws in practically every state before it could be effected. In its resolution, the A A F C O recommended to the respective states " t h a t it is essential to American agriculture for each state law to be amended to permit by J u l y 1, 1960, such change on a gradual but uniform basis as provided in the Model State Fertilizer L a w , " formulated by the association. A n industry representative speaking before the association cautioned the group on pressing for legislative action on this proposed revision until " t h e r e is sufficient unanimity among all the groups affected so the change can be m a d e without causing a chaotic condition." T h e proposed change in fertilizer guarantees would bring about changes in the ratios and grades of fertilizers sold and therefore have an effect on the formulation and manufacture of mixed fertilizers.
L. S. HITCHNER
I/EC
Executive Secretary National Agricultural Chemicals Association, Washington, D. C.
ANNUAL
REVIEW
PESTICIDES Tchemical sales begun over a year HE UPWARD TREND in
pesticide
ago was accelerated in 1956 by a variety of developments. These included a series of heavy insect infestations, particularly in the South and Southwest, a greater use of pesticides in public health programs, and increasing use of chemicals to reduce perunit cost of crop production. Figures on the output of pesticides, which are a fair gage as to sales, indicate that production during the 1956 crop year (October 1, 1955, to September 31, 1956) will
total approximately 2 5 % higher than during the 1955 crop year. This would bring estimated sales at the producers' level u p from $200,000,000 in 1955 to about $250,000,000 in 1956 and make 1956 the best year productionwise and saleswise in the industry's history. T h e heavy insect outbreaks, which were an important stimulus to pesticide sales, were caused in large part by two continuing trends in modern life—the development of underdeveloped countries a n d the vast increase in intercontinental travel.
T h e K h a p r a beetle infestation of 1955, and the M e d i t e r r a n e a n fruit fly and spotted alfalfa aphid infestations in 1956 resulted from insects imported from abroad. These outbreaks were accompanied in 1956 by exceptionally heavy infestations of the boll weevil and the grasshopper. A growing interest in lifting the burden of malaria and other insectborne diseases from people throughout the world was a factor in increased sales in 1956, particularly in the export of insecticides to be used in the World Health Organization's VOL. 49, NO. 1
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