The Queensland Government has awarded A$1.31 million to Terra Firma Fertilisers to help it produce granular fertilisers for large-scale agricultural producers, potentially reducing Australia’s dependence on imported nutrients.
“[State funding] will allow us not only to establish a dedicated granular fertiliser production line … but also [to] create new skilled jobs in our region,” Terra Firma Fertilisers General Manager Ruby Earsman said on 7 September.
Government support also gives Terra Firma the confidence to accelerate growth plans and provides a scalable foundation for future, demand-driven product line expansions, Earsman added.
Terra Firma manufactures pelletised fertilisers for small-scale and large-scale agricultural producers. But many commercial farmers prefer granular fertilisers because they are cheaper and easier to transport.
The Queensland Government backed Terra Firma – and 17 other businesses – through its Transforming Queensland Manufacturing Grants Program on 7 September. It provides up to A$1.5 million of grant funding to eligible manufacturers under the scheme.
Australian farmers import about half of the fertilisers they use each year, according to Fertilizer Australia. But they rely on foreign producers for 90% of their nitrogen-rich urea fertilisers, largely because Australia lacks any large-scale urea production plants, according to Cargill.
Multiple companies have announced plans to develop urea plants across Australia, but none are operational. From 2027, Perdaman Chemicals and Fertilisers expects to produce 2.3 million tonnes of urea each year in Western Australia. Australian Fertilizer Corporation also plans to produce 220,000 tonnes of urea each year in Queensland, but has not announced a clear project timeline.
By Avinash Govind