Overuse of fertilizer

WITH NEARLY A QUARTER OF THE WORLD'S population, China must be on its guard against any potential food security hazard.

Overuse of fertilizer is one such hazard that will likely pose a threat to the country's food security if not controlled.

Use of fertilizer has raised agricultural output by 30 to 50 percent. Most Chinese farmland is not that fertile, yet crops are planted twice a year. As a result, the land has become increasingly barren. Fertilizer has played an important role in enabling the country to maintain high yields.