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Nutrient deficiencies and compositional variability in fertilizers : The case of the Mekong Delta in Vietnam

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  • MANO, Yukichi
  • ARIMOTO, Yutaka
  • Nguyen, Duy Can
  • Do, Van Hoang
  • KOJIN, Emi
  • Nguyen, Thiet
  • TSUKADA, Kazunari
  • Vo, Hong Tu

Abstract

Quality control in fertilizer markets is critical to food security by facilitating fertilizer application and increasing agricultural productivity. With the active proliferation of new fertilizer producers, Vietnam has also faced this problem, but public and market initiatives have recently been taken to address the issue This paper evaluates the quality of 141 randomly sampled fertilizers in the Mekong Delta, the country’s central rice producing area. We intentionally sampled unbranded products to focus on the most vulnerable market segment. On average, our sample contains the labeled nutrient content. However, the quality variability is high, and half of the sample has at least one nutrient content below the legal requirement. We also find that nitrogen is over-concentrated and phosphate is diluted. These findings suggest that the quality of fertilizers in Vietnam, even unbranded ones, is reliable on average, but efforts are needed to stabilize quality variability. In addition, over-concentration of nitrogen may warrant policy attention as farmers may inadvertently over-apply nitrogen and harm the environment.

Suggested Citation

  • MANO, Yukichi & ARIMOTO, Yutaka & Nguyen, Duy Can & Do, Van Hoang & KOJIN, Emi & Nguyen, Thiet & TSUKADA, Kazunari & Vo, Hong Tu, 2023. "Nutrient deficiencies and compositional variability in fertilizers : The case of the Mekong Delta in Vietnam," Discussion paper series HIAS-E-129, Hitotsubashi Institute for Advanced Study, Hitotsubashi University.
    • Handle: RePEc:hit:hiasdp:hias-e-129
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. KOJIN, Emi & DO, Van Hoang & NGUYEN, Thiet & ARIMOTO, Yutaka & VO, Hong Tu & MANO, Yukichi & NGUYEN, Duy Can & TSUKADA, Kazunari, 2023. "Government and market initiatives for the governance of fertilizer quality in Vietnam," Discussion paper series HIAS-E-130, Hitotsubashi Institute for Advanced Study, Hitotsubashi University.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    low-quality fertilizer; experience goods; Vietnam;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L15 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Information and Product Quality
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • Q16 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - R&D; Agricultural Technology; Biofuels; Agricultural Extension Services
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy

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