Fertilizer is food for plants and vital to global food security. As the most crucial input for crop production, it enables farmers to achieve maximum crop yields, ensuring the food supply for billions of people worldwide. In fact, fertilizer is responsible for half of the world’s current food production. And with a growing population, the demand for fertilizers is on the rise. Over the next 50 years, farmers will need to produce more food than was grown in the last 10,000 years combined.
Among the key nutrients essential for plant growth are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—collectively known as NPK fertilizers. Potash is the common name for a group of minerals rich in potassium, a vital element for plant health. But potash does more than just boost yields; it plays a critical role in enhancing the taste, sweetness, and resilience of fruits, vegetables, and crops.
Potash is sourced from naturally occurring underground deposits that were formed hundreds of millions of years ago when ancient inland seas evaporated, leaving behind rich reserves of minerals. These deposits are a mixture of potassium chloride and sodium chloride (table salt), which is mined and then processed to separate potassium chloride, producing a granular fertilizer that is used around the world.
Canada plays a pivotal role in the global potash market, possessing approximately half of the world’s potash reserves, located beneath the prairies of Saskatchewan. As the top global producer and exporter of potash, Canada is indispensable to the global agricultural industry.
Now, more than ever, Canada is fortunate to possess the potash the world urgently needs. In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Canadian potash producers such as Nutrien, Mosaic, and K+S Potash Canada committed to ramping up production to help address the ongoing global food security crisis. Canadian potash is not only high quality but also produced in a responsible and safe manner, positioning Canada as a critical part of the solution to these challenges.
In 2023, Canada produced over 23 million tonnes of potash, exporting 91 per cent of it to countries around the world, including Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, and the European Union. Half of Canada’s potash exports are shipped to its American neighbours. This highlights the strategic importance of potash, a mineral vital to agriculture and global food security.
Potash isn’t just about increasing crop production. It’s also essential for the overall health and quality of the crops themselves. Potash plays a vital role in the movement of nutrients within plants and helps regulate water retention. By improving photosynthesis and controlling the opening and closing of stomata (leaf pores), potash reduces water loss and helps plants retain moisture. This ability to regulate moisture is critical in helping crops withstand climate extremes, such as drought stress.
The benefits of potash don’t stop at resilience. Potash fertilizer is also known to enhance the taste, sweetness, and firmness of fruits and vegetables. By increasing the sugar content in crops like tomatoes, carrots, strawberries, and apples, potash helps produce food that is not only nutritious but also delicious. Sweeter strawberries, juicier apples, and firmer tomatoes are just a few examples of how potash improves the quality of our food.
Canada’s potash industry is a critical player on the global stage. By supplying potash to farmers worldwide, Canada helps agricultural industries grow the nutritious, hearty crops needed to feed the world. Whether it’s enhancing crop yields, improving food quality, or helping crops adapt to a changing climate, potash is essential.