Is there a market for large urea granules?

Large-grained urea can be produced directly by urea manufacturing plants, or it can serve as a downstream product of small-grained urea. Its cost is slightly higher than that of small-grained urea, but its selling price can be 30–100 yuan higher than that of small-grained urea (depending on market conditions).

Here, the similarities and differences between large and small particle urea are compared. The similarity lies in the fact that their active ingredient is water-soluble, rapidly available urea molecules, and their nitrogen content is 46% in both cases; the only difference is the size of the particles. The particle size mainly affects the rate of dissolution; smaller urea particles dissolve and release more quickly in water or soil, while larger urea particles dissolve and release more slowly in soil. This difference is reflected in the method of application: when urea is used as a top-dressing, the effect of the small particles is slightly faster than that of the large particles. From the perspective of losses, the loss of urea in large particles is less than that in small particles. Overall, the difference in the speed of fertilizer effectiveness between the two is very small. At a normal temperature of 20°C, the release rate of these substances in the soil differs by only 2 to 3 days. For crop uptake, urea exists in the form of molecular nitrogen; the amount that can be directly absorbed by crops is limited, and it must be converted to ammonium nitrogen in the soil before it can be absorbed in larger quantities. Therefore, regardless of the particle size, urea should be applied as a top-dressing a few days earlier than ammonium bicarbonate. Large-grained urea dissolves more slowly, making it suitable as a base fertilizer; it is not appropriate for use as top-dressing or foliar fertilizer.

We just installed a set of large-grain units here; they’re working fine, with a production rate of around 650-700 per day