Last year, favorable rainfall helped Kazakh farmers achieve wheat yields exceeding 40 centners per hectare (4 tons/ha), with gluten content reaching 32%—a premium quality benchmark. However, such high productivity led to significant nutrient extraction from the soil. Without proper replenishment, future yields—even under optimal weather—will decline.
Jasulan Murat, Director of Leader SKT in North Kazakhstan, emphasizes:
“Our soils are exhausted. If we don’t compensate for last year’s nutrient losses, we can’t expect good harvests, no matter the weather.”
The Solution: UAN-32 for Higher Efficiency
To combat soil depletion, Leader SKT relies on UAN-32 (КАС-32), a liquid nitrogen fertilizer produced by EuroChem. Unlike granular fertilizers, UAN-32 offers:
- Three nitrogen forms (amide, ammonium, nitrate) for better absorption (root + foliar uptake).
- No competition with seeds for moisture—critical in dry conditions.
- 30% higher yields compared to untreated fields (as seen in drought-affected 2022).
In 2024, the farm expanded UAN-32 application from 1,500 ha to 2,000 ha, using Bourgault seeders with MRB systems for simultaneous seeding, granular phosphate, and liquid nitrogen placement.
Shifting Crop Priorities: Oilseeds for Higher Margins
This season, Leader SKT reduced wheat acreage from 90% to 25%, focusing instead on flax, rapeseed, and sunflower—more profitable crops. By 2025, lentils will enter their rotation.
Why Liquid Fertilizers Outperform Granules
- Faster nutrient availability—critical for late-sown crops (delayed by May rains).
- Balanced nutrition—EuroChem’s UAN-32 ensures consistent quality.
- Soil restoration—agrochemical analyses confirm widespread N-P-K deficits in Kazakh soils.
Fertilize Now or Risk Yield Decline
Kazakhstan’s agricultural success hinges on nutrient management. Liquid fertilizers like UAN-32 not only boost yields and protein content but also mitigate soil degradation. Farmers must act now—proper fertilization accelerates crop development, counteracting delayed sowing and ensuring harvests mature on time.
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