Food security is fertilizer security. Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) are the three primary plant nutrients. Most minerals contain trace amounts of K; many minerals contain large amounts of K. The potassium in most minerals isn't soluble and therefore unavailable for plant uptake. Potash is the main source of potassium for fertilizer. Global potash production is concentrated in four countries. In 2018, Canada (Saskatchewan) produced 33.3% of potash globally but accounted for 41% of global exports. Most countries have become dependent on imports for their potash needs. Large resources are being dedicated around the world to find new sources of soluble potassium and better match the soluble potassium needs to the individual soil types.
World production of potash (potassium chloride), by country, 2018 (1)
Ranking Country Tonnes/K Percentage
1 Canada 22,680 33.3%
2 Belarus 12,043 17.7%
3 Russia 11,753 17.3%
4 China 7,382 10.8%
- Other(s) 14,256 20.9%
Total 68,114 100.0%
World exports of potash (potassium chloride), 2018 (1)
Ranking Country Tonnes/K Percentage
1 Canada 21,878 41.0%
2 Belarus 10,960 20.5%
3 Russia 9,339 17.5%
4 Israel 3,648 6.8%
5 Germany 3,040 5.7%
- Other (s) 4,531 8.5%
Total 53,396 100.0%
Potash is largely produced in the Northern Hemisphere and works well for Northern Hemisphere soils but there are challenges for Southern Hemisphere soils. According to MIT, "For tropical growing regions in Brazil and some countries in Africa, differing soil and rock compositions make for a poor match for the fertilizers that are currently on the market. When these fertilizers — which are resource intensive to produce — need to be shipped long distances to reach consumers in Southern Hemisphere countries, costs can skyrocket. When the fertilizer isn’t the right match for the soil needs, farmers may need to add more in order to achieve as much gain as their counterparts in the north, if they are even able to afford more in the first place. (2)"
This presents an interesting challenge for speculators, traders, and mineral technologists to work together and bring new, more advanced, soluble potassium products to market. The bifurcation of soil-types around the world lends itself to blending problems typically tackled by traders. The right solution for Brazil might mean developing a new source of local soluble potassium and blending that product with imported potash from multiple countries around the world. Mineral technologists are needed to characterize new extraction methods to economically produce soluble potassium from local rock types. Speculators are needed for capital. The first step in joining in solving the problem is to become aware that one exists. How are you going to help meet global soluble potassium needs?
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