The promotion of potassium‑management practices in sweet potato cultivation is always accompanied by heartfelt inspiration, paying tribute to those who step forward against the tide, giving us courage and helping sweet potato farming advance even further.
I. Fertilizer prices are rising, and the structure of crop cultivation is shifting.
In 2022, the third year of the pandemic, prices rose, with fertilizer costs surging sharply.
In 2022, potato and peanut incomes declined in some regions, while ginger and garlic prices remained sluggish. As a result, many farmers shifted to sweet potatoes and corn, primarily for crop rotation and to capitalize on the exceptionally high returns offered by sweet potatoes.
II. Star product — Potassium-Controlled Sweet Potato
Sweet potato potassium‑control fertilizer is a highly cost‑effective, high‑efficiency product. Verified through more than 100 large‑scale field trials conducted by the National Sweet Potato Industry Technology System and the Shandong Provincial Sweet Potato Industry Technology System, this specialized fertilizer boosts average yields by 1,300 jin per mu, representing a 19% increase, while raising dry matter content from 26% to 30%. Featuring four core benefits—highly active humic acid, rich in calcium, magnesium, silicon, and sulfur, precise controlled release of potassium, and a low‑nitrogen, high‑potassium formulation—it significantly enhances both medium‑ and large‑tuber rates, delivering visibly improved tuber enlargement and marketable quality.
III. Common farmers’ incorrect fertilizer choices
Recently, we visited several regions and found that, due to this year’s high fertilizer prices, some growers are opting to use a 15-15-15 NPK fertilizer as a single basal application in place of a high‑potassium fertilizer. However, long‑term field experience has shown that, in most areas, the preferred fertilizer for sweet potatoes is a high‑potassium formulation. By choosing a balanced fertilizer instead—just to save a few dozen yuan in input costs—farmers end up regretting their decision, leaving them both frustrated and dismayed.
It may seem that each bag of fertilizer saves you a few dozen yuan, but what you could be losing is over a thousand yuan in net profit. Excess nitrogen in balanced fertilizers can easily lead to excessive vegetative growth, while insufficient potassium fails to provide the nutrients needed for tuber enlargement. Yield variability among sweet potato crops can be substantial. We sincerely hope that frontline sales and agronomic extension staff will clearly explain the advantages and disadvantages of choosing a potassium‑controlled sweet potato fertilizer, rather than simply deferring to the grower’s preferences.
IV. Professional growers stay true to their mission, carefully selecting potassium‑controlled formulations, paying tribute to those who march against the tide.
On March 11, we visited a sweet potato planting base in Tai’an. From 2020 to 2021, the farm applied Nongda’s potassium‑controlled sweet potato fertilizer, formula 10‑8‑24, for two consecutive years, using seedlings of the “Yanshu 25” first‑generation original strain. In 2022, however, the local market did not offer this specialized potassium‑controlled sweet potato fertilizer, so the farmer contacted us through the company’s 400 hotline to place an order. The process was quite convoluted: the grower had been searching for this particular fertilizer since before the New Year, insisting it was indispensable, and only after much effort were they finally able to reach the company. Their enthusiasm for this potassium‑controlled sweet potato fertilizer deeply moved us.
After consulting with the manager of the sweet potato planting base, we found that applying potassium‑controlled fertilizer on hilly terrain for cultivating the Yan Shu 25 variety yields visibly superior tuber enlargement compared to conventional high‑potassium fertilization. This results in an additional yield of approximately 2,000 jin per mu, with a per‑mu output exceeding 10,000 jin and an extra income of over 2,000 yuan. Such an excellent fertilizer is truly hard to put down.
At present, fertilizer prices have surged, yet there remains a group of farmers who, regardless of the cost, remain focused on achieving potassium‑control effects in sweet potato cultivation. They are not oblivious to cost considerations; rather, they possess keen insight and a longer‑term perspective.
Large-scale growers and professional management teams place greater emphasis on profitability, and their preferred choice is potassium‑controlled sweet potato cultivation.
Through meticulous experimentation, large-scale growers, once they have selected the Nongda sweet potato‑specific potassium‑controlled fertilizer, hold on to it regardless of how market prices may rise, reaping even greater returns. Moreover, most of them are also pioneers in sweet potato cultivation techniques—our respect to these trailblazers.
The widespread adoption of a new, highly efficient fertilizer requires the dedication of many and is accompanied by countless inspiring stories. We pay tribute to those who have bravely forged ahead on the path of sweet potato cultivation, helping farmers achieve high yields, superior quality, and greater profitability through potassium‑management strategies.
