Currently, there are many fake fertilizers flooding the market, which makes farmers often have headaches when buying fertilizers. How can we identify the real ones from the fake ones? The following is a brief introduction to some identification tips for farmers’ reference:

Packaging identification method 1. Inspection mark: Relevant national departments stipulate that the product name, nutrient content, grade, trademark, and Net weight, standard code, factory name, factory address, production license number and mark. If there is no above mark or the mark is incomplete, it may be counterfeit or inferior quality fertilizer. 2. Check the seal of the packaging bag: Pay special attention to fertilizers with obvious signs of unpacking on the packaging seal. This phenomenon may be adulterated.

Shape and color identification method: Urea: white or light yellow, granular, needle-shaped or prismatic crystals, no powder or little powder. Ammonium sulfate: white crystal. Ammonium chloride: white or light yellow crystal. Ammonium bicarbonate: in the form of white or other dyed powder or granular crystals. There are also individual manufacturers that produce large particles of oblate spherical ammonium bicarbonate. Superphosphate: It is off-white or light gray powder. Heavy superphosphate: dark gray, off-white particles or powder. Potassium sulfate: white crystal or powder. Potassium chloride: white or light red particles.

Odor identification method: If the liquid has a strong pungent ammonia smell, it is ammonia water; the granules with a strong pungent ammonia smell are ammonium bicarbonate; the fine powder with a sour smell is double superphosphate. If superphosphate has a very pungent sour smell, it means that waste sulfuric acid is probably used in the production process. This kind of chemical fertilizer is very toxic and can easily damage or burn crops, especially rice seedling ponds that cannot be used.

It should be reminded that although some chemical fertilizers are real, their content is very low, such as inferior superphosphate, with an effective phosphorus content of less than 8 (the minimum standard should be 12). These fertilizers are of inferior quality and have little fertilizer effect. You should ask professionals to identify them when purchasing.