NITRATE OF SODA

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume L, Issue 7890, 5 January 1922, Page 4

NITRATE OF SODA

The falling-off in the use of nitrate of soda as a fertiliser in Britain and other European countries is attributed, in an article on “Nitrate of Soda,” in The Chemical Trade Journal and Chemical Engineer for 13th August. 1921. to the workings of a “Pool” in the Chilean nitrate trade. The prices were much lower this year than last year, Chilean nitrate was still considered too dear by the European farmer, and consumption fell to an unprecedentedly low level. The disappearance of Germany as a consumer accounts to some extent for this; but dear nitrate is the chief cause. On 30th June. 1921, the stocks of nitrate of soda held in Europe amounted to 753,000 tons, compared with 184.000 tons at the same date last year, and 137,000 tons on 30th June, 1914. when Germany was using about a million tons a year compared with “nil” at present. This accumulation of stocks has led to a similar congestion on Chile, where the stocks in hand at 30th June, 1921, wire, 1,349,000 tons, compared with 1,252,000 tons last year and 757,000 tons in 1914. This has been reflected in the production. “Such,’' says the article referred to, “is the melancholy record of the past season, due entirely to the greed of the nitrate producers in attempting to keep price-levels up to those prevailing during the war period. They even asked considerably more money than when the Allies were buying nitrate ‘regardless of expense' for war purposes, and. strange to say, the merchants, completely misjudging the business outlook, fell into the trap. Nemesis has overtaken both parties, the former having practically made no sales for over a twelvemonth, and being left with enormous stocks in Chile; the latter nibble to dispose of more than a fraction of their purchases, and saddled with hundreds of thousands of tons of

nitrate lying idle in Europe. Out of about a million tons put into the ‘Pool’ formed in February . lasi, not more than a hundred thou ‘ sand have been disposed of up to date, the balance—costing the holders, on an average, over £23 per ton— being carried over to next seas on at a heavy charge. After , mentioning several of the advantages of (lie Chilian fertiliser, tln© article continues: “In order, hdwevei 1 , to receive full recognition from the intelligent agriculturist, nitrate of soda must be sold at a; price comparing favourably with that of other manures of the same kind. This is what it fails to do, and this why its use is so generally diminished, for instead of being the cheapest form of nitrogenous plant food it is now the dearest. Before the war nitrate containing nitrogen equal to 181 per can! ‘of ammonia cost, on an average, under £ll per ton in this country; and its chief rival, sulphate of ammonia, containing 241- per cent ammonia, cost over £l3 per ton. The present respective! official figures are £lB e/d £l3 3s, the nitrate ‘Pool’ asking the former*‘free on rail' at ports, and the British Sulphate of Ammonia Federation offering * the' product (now guaranteed to contain 251 per cent, ammonia) ‘delivered 1 at buyer’s station.’ According to Dr. Voelcker, consulting chemist to the Royal Agricultural Society, sulphate of ammonia' is a thoroughly efficient substitute for nitrate of soda, and the cost per unit foiAhe former on the above basis being 10s 4d, its extra seven points are worth . £3 12s Bd, making the relative value of the latter £9 10s 4d per ton, irrespective of the 'allowance of 5 per cent, commission made to merchants in the case of sulphate and not in the other.”