Urea is the most-bought fertiliser in Australia and the easiest to buy badly. It looks like a commodity where one white prill is the same as another. Mostly true — but the differences that do exist cost real money at scale.
Why urea, and how much you actually need
At 46-0-0, urea carries 460 kg of nitrogen in every tonne — more than any other solid fertiliser. That is the whole argument for it: fewer tonnes carted, fewer spreading passes, less freight for the same nitrogen on the ground.
| Nitrogen target | Urea rate | 200 ha | 500 ha | 1,000 ha |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 kg/ha N | 87 kg/ha | 17.4 t | 43.5 t | 87 t |
| 60 kg/ha N | 130 kg/ha | 26 t | 65 t | 130 t |
| 80 kg/ha N | 174 kg/ha | 34.8 t | 87 t | 174 t |
| 100 kg/ha N | 217 kg/ha | 43.4 t | 108.5 t | 217 t |
Work out your row before you ring anyone. It changes the packing that suits you and it is the first thing any supplier will ask.
Five things to check before you commit
1. The declared analysis, in writing
46-0-0 is standard and you should expect it. Ask for the Certificate of Analysis for the batch you are actually getting, not a generic sheet. Every one of our 130 data sheets is free to download without giving anyone your email, and the CoA for your delivered batch is what governs.
2. Granule or prill, and how uniform
If you spread 24 metres or wider, this is not a detail. Uniform hard granules follow a predictable arc off the spinner; irregular ones scatter and stripe the crop. Same reasoning as high tower compounds. Ask about granule size range and hardness, not just the analysis.
3. Biuret and moisture
Biuret forms during manufacture and matters mainly for foliar use, where it can scorch. For soil application at normal rates it is rarely an issue — but if you are spraying it, ask. Moisture matters for every use: urea is hygroscopic and damp product cakes.
4. Packing, matched to how long you will hold it
Bulk is cheapest per tonne and the most exposed. Bulka bags stay sealed until you use them, which is why they suit buying ahead of the season. Bagged with a liner protects best per unit. Full detail in the packing guide.
5. Delivered price, not ex-works
Urea is heavy and freight is a real share of the landed cost. An ex-works price that looks sharp can land dearer than a delivered one that looked higher. Get it delivered to your address, in writing — more on that in what drives your quote.
The mistake that costs more than the price difference
You can negotiate hard on the tonne and then lose more than you saved in the first week after spreading. Surface-applied urea on warm moist soil volatilises — the nitrogen converts to ammonia gas and leaves before the crop sees it.
Incorporating it, watering it in, or applying ahead of rain all reduce that loss substantially. The mechanism and what actually works is set out in urea volatilisation. It is worth ten minutes before you spread a hundred tonnes.
Where you cannot incorporate and conditions are against you, ammonium sulphate delivers less nitrogen per tonne but loses almost none of it — sometimes the better buy despite the lower analysis.
Ordering
Urea 46-0-0 is supplied in bulk, 1 tonne bulka bags, or 25 kg and 50 kg bags. Minimum order 10–25 MT depending on destination; a full 20ft container at roughly 25 MT is the most economical single buy.
Tell us the tonnage, the nearest town and how you will unload it. You get a written delivered price and the data sheet with it.