Nutrien’s head office building in Saskatoon. (Liam O’Connor photo)

Nutrien misses quarterly profit estimates as potash prices plummet

Fertilizer demand expected to rise in Q4

Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Nutrien fell short of analysts’ estimates for third-quarter profit on Wednesday, as lower potash prices weighed on the world’s biggest fertilizer producer. Potash prices have been falling after shipments from Belarus and Russia resumed. These exports had been significantly restricted last year following Western sanctions imposed on Russia in response to its invasion […] Read more

File photo of Canpotex potash cars. (Dave Bedard photo)

More affordability, usage of fertilizers in 2024, analyst says

Israel's fertilizer output normal for now

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — While global fertilizer prices were projected to be steady to higher in 2024, overall affordability is set to improve while usage will increase, according to one analyst. Samuel Taylor, a New York City-based farm inputs analyst for RaboResearch Food and AgriBusiness, delivered a presentation on the fertilizer market during the firm’s Fall Harvest […] Read more


Envita plot trials exhibit the difference between potatoes treated with Envita (left) and the untreated checks (right).

A new source of nitrogen for crops

Biological products like Utrisha N and Envita enable potatoes and other crops to harvest nitrogen from the air

Reading Time: 5 minutes The question of how different crop production would be if plants could fix their own nitrogen has been at the forefront of researchers’ work and stakeholders’ interests for more than 60 years. Aside from the ability of soybeans and edible beans to fix their own nitrogen, researchers have sought to find the same process for […] Read more

At the Carman tests, comparing the lowest N environment to the highest equated to around a 17 per cent yield loss.

When less is more in weed control

A study shows that soybean yields decline as soil nitrogen increases

Reading Time: 5 minutes We all know that canola likes a good shot of nitrogen. Unfortunately, that includes canola volunteers, and a study says you may be better off to starve them and let your soybeans compete on their own. Charles Geddes, research scientist of weed ecology and cropping systems at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research and Development […] Read more


Nutrien’s head office building in Saskatoon. (Liam O’Connor photo)

Nutrien misses profit estimates amid higher fertilizer prices

CF Industries also books lower sales

Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Canadian fertilizer maker Nutrien on Wednesday forecast lower-than-expected 2023 earnings and posted fourth-quarter profit below Wall Street estimates, sending shares down 2.6 per cent in extended trading. While higher fertilizer prices dented demand in early second-half of last year, a fall in prices later in the year did not boost demand as farmers […] Read more

Sulphur deficiency typically shows up early with stripes on leaves, but they can be caused by other problems, so Manitoba Agriculture soil specialist recommends confirmation with a tissue test.

Dealing with N and S deficiencies in corn

Much of Manitoba’s corn is on sandier soils that are more prone to nutrient losses

Reading Time: 3 minutes Manitoba corn growers’ hopes for a lower nitrogen bill in 2022 disappeared with the N leached away by the wet spring.  Manitoba Agriculture soil specialist John Heard tested some fields in the spring and found that about 30 pounds of N per acre leached in clay soils and 80-plus pounds in sandier soils.  “We know […] Read more


Manitoba Agriculture soil specialist John Heard gave a graphic presentation of N losses at last summer’s Crop Diagnostic School.

A down then up year for Prairie corn

Troubles due to a wet spring, but mostly ideal conditions from then on

Reading Time: 5 minutes With fertilizer prices climbing, some corn growers in Western Canada — particularly in Manitoba — went into the 2022 season with hopes of capitalizing on large N carryovers because of the drought over the previous two years. But a wet spring washed those hopes away, especially in sandier soil regions, as N leached out and […] Read more

Manitoba growers are prepared to try advanced 4R techniques but wary of risks.

Farmers open to new 4R practices, but have concerns

About half of western Canadian wheat and canola acres are already officially managed with 4R

Reading Time: 4 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Manitoba farmers say they are open to trying new 4R techniques and building upon current practices but have an eye on cost and risks. It’s important to be challenged by the question, “what more can we do to reduce our emissions… while running a farm properly?” said Dean Harder, who farms near […] Read more


(Richardson.ca)

Richardson makes first entry in branded crop inputs

Company launches new N stabilizer, CirrusX

Reading Time: 2 minutes Prairie grain handler and agribusiness Richardson Pioneer has launched itself into self-branded crop inputs with a nitrogen stabilizer, CirrusX. Steve Biggar, associate vice-president of fertilizer and energy products for Winnipeg-based Richardson, said it was the right time for the company to launch CirrusX because of new treaters the company has installed to allow liquid products […] Read more

Nutrien’s head office building in Saskatoon. (Liam O’Connor photo)

Nutrien to further boost potash output amid global shortage

Company will also speed up nitrogen capacity boosts

Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Nutrien, the world’s largest fertilizer producer, said Thursday it will increase its Canadian potash production by 20 per cent to an annual 18 million tonnes by 2025, helping to address tight supplies that have contributed to a global food shortage. Potash prices have soared since the West imposed sanctions against Russia for Moscow’s […] Read more