Economics and Sociology of Fertilisers

As the most important agrochemicals, fertilisers are a prime factor in determining the world economy and fixing living standards. The world consumption has increased more than fivefold over the past half century although this rate of increase now seems to have slowed down somewhat. On the whole, famine is now under control and is only likely to occur locally as a result of drought, floods, wars or poor management [12].  

Provided that certain harmful impurities are absent, the chemical purity of fertilisers need not be comparable with that of laboratory chemicals. This facilitates the production, at relatively low costs, of the huge tonnages which are needed, although these costs are often still too high for intensive use by third-world countries. 

Commercial fertilisers are without doubt the most important chemicals synthesised by man, and their annual tonnage exceeds that of any other chemical commodity. The development of large-scale production methods for such key compounds as ammonia and phosphoric acid has inevitably influenced the economic viability of many other chemical products which are derived from them. 

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