New plant to produce PurYield fertilizer of the future
On August 31, 2021, Sollio Agriculture announced that it was partnering with Pursell AgriTech to build an innovative fertilizer coating plant in St. Thomas, Ontario. The plant which opened in the fall of 2023, will produce PurYield controlled-release fertilizer.
“Supporting farmers in their transition to sustainable agriculture is a key objective for Sollio Agriculture,” says Mike Pastir, General Manager of the CRF AgriTech plant. “This project, which focuses on improving fertilizer management, will make a significant contribution to that goal.”
Stable, efficient procurement
The St. Thomas plant, which will supply farmers in Eastern Canada with controlled-release nitrogen, phosphate and potash fertilizers, is located on the north shore of Lake Erie, about halfway between Windsor and Niagara Falls.
“It’s a strategic location, close to input suppliers and railways,” says Pastir. “It will reduce shipping costs and the time it takes to transport these products. This streamlined supply chain will benefit farmers, as they have an increasingly narrow window in the spring to get their planting done.”
Sourcing fertilizer in global markets poses many challenges. When asked whether the new plant would help, Pastir replied, “Absolutely. This plant will help to reduce our dependence on imported fertilizer. And, because we are so close to our customers, we won’t be at the mercy of possible rail strikes. We can easily transport our products by road.”
The aim is to increase the profitability of farms and optimize their productivity.
Doing more with less
Pursell is a long-established, family-owned fertilizer company based in Sylacauga, Alabama. Its coating technology, developed in the early 2000s, uses 40% less polymer, which is good for the environment. The thinner yet more flexible polymer does not break down during application, further reducing waste. This was not the case with other coated fertilizers, such as FRN.
Fertilizer from any source can be coated with this technology. Micronutrients and biostimulants can even be added. “These are truly the fertilizers of tomorrow,” says Pastir. “And because Sollio Agriculture is the manufacturer, we can adapt them to the needs of our farmers.”
For farmers, this means savings in time, labour and equipment. “These fertilizers give farmers more flexibility,” says Pastir. “They require fewer applications, which means less diesel use, lower carbon emissions, less soil compaction, less crop damage and higher yields.”
The new St. Thomas fertilizer coating plant and the products produced there will keep Sollio Agriculture at the forefront of innovative and more sustainable solutions for farmers.
Source: The original version of this article was published in Coopérateur magazine.