[Behind Humic Acid] (I): Humic Acid Holds Great Significance for Agricultural Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection

In 2018, the Nongda Feiyi official account published a seven-part series titled “Revamping the Soil,” systematically explaining what humic acid is, why it needs to be activated, and its various benefits. We have every reason to believe that, just as compound fertilizers outperform single‑nutrient fertilizers, humic‑acid‑based fertilizers will inevitably surpass traditional compound fertilizers, ushering in a new era of agricultural fertilization.

Humic acid fertilizers link agricultural applications on one end with upstream elemental fertilizers on the other, delivering energy‑saving and environmentally friendly benefits across the entire industry value chain.

The company plans to present, in two phases, an overview of the energy-saving and environmental protection benefits of humic acid across the upstream and downstream value chain.

(1) Humic acid is of great significance for energy conservation and environmental protection in agriculture.

According to statistics from the China Phosphate and Compound Fertilizer Industry Association, the country’s total fertilizer output in 2018 reached 61.1 million tons. However, China’s fertilizer use efficiency stands at only 30%, far below the 50% level seen in developed countries. As a result, 70% of applied nutrients—primarily nitrogen—are lost to the environment through volatilization, leaching, runoff, and infiltration, causing ongoing harm to soil, water, and the atmosphere while also wasting substantial amounts of energy.

Since 2014, Nongda Fertilizer has collaborated with the National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center to conduct demonstration and promotion of “Humic Acid Plus” innovative products across more than 59 trial sites in over 50 cities spanning 14 provinces nationwide, covering more than 20 major crops including grains, cotton, oilseeds, fruits, vegetables, and tea. The company has also jointly organized nearly one hundred field trials and demonstrations in partnership with national industry systems for sweet potatoes and peanuts, as well as provincial systems for tea, coarse grains, and potatoes in Shandong, and the potato system in Inner Mongolia. Experimental demonstrations have shown that, compared with conventional fertilizers, humic‑acid‑based fertilizers from Nongda Fertilizer Industry can maintain stable yields or even achieve slight yield increases while reducing application rates by 20%. At the same time, the utilization efficiency of these humic‑acid fertilizers rises from about 30% for conventional fertilizers to over 40%–45%. The synergistic effect of these two factors significantly drives a decline in overall fertilizer consumption, reduces energy use, and mitigates the environmental damage caused by fertilizer waste.

Humic acid exerts a beneficial effect on crop vigor, enhancing their resistance to diseases and pests. Meanwhile, Nongda Fertilizer Industry integrates humic acid technology with biocontrol techniques based on functional microorganisms; by using fertilizer in place of chemical pesticides, it helps reduce pesticide application rates, contributing to the goal of achieving zero growth in pesticide use while also safeguarding food safety.

In summary, the agricultural applications of humic acid align with strategic imperatives such as supply-side structural reform in agriculture and the development of green agriculture.