13 Feb 2025
by Oli Hill

AIC joins BBC Radio 4 show to explain value of fertilisers as plant food

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The value of fertilisers as plant food has been examined on a BBC Radio 4 show, featuring the Agricultural Industries Confederation's (AIC) Head of Fertiliser Jo Gilbertson as an expert guest.

Broadcast today (13 February), the Sliced Bread programme explores whether commercial plant foods that come as a solid, liquid or granule - all types of inorganic fertiliser - are "the best thing since sliced bread"?

AIC is the UK agricultural supply industry's leading trade association which represents businesses in key sectors within the supply chains that feed the nation, including fertiliser manufacturers and distributors.

Mr Gilbertson was joined by Gardener’s Question Time's expert and botanist Pippa Greenwood to explain the macro-nutrients that plants - be it in a domestic garden or agricultural and horticultural crops - need for successful growth, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK).

Nitrogen (N) is for developing the main plant structures such as leaves and stem growth, phosphorus (P) aids root growth, while potassium (K) is used for the transportation of water and sap around the plant, and also stimulates budding and development of flowers and fruit.

Mr Gilbertson clarifies how a "plant food" differs from a fertiliser used by farmers and growers: "For a product to be called a fertiliser, it's regulated by law and that specifies a minimum nutrient content depending on the type of fertiliser.

"If a product isn't agricultural strength, it's probably referred to as a plant food, but essentially, it's got the same ingredients in, but probably a little bit more diluted."

The programme also covers claims made by producers of plant foods for domestic uses, the roles of organic and inorganic fertilisers, as well as environmental best practice.

Listen to the full Sliced Bread episode on BBC Sounds.

To find out more about the fertiliser industry, watch the video below.

Learn more

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What is fertiliser?

Author

Oli Hill

Oli Hill

Head of Communications, AIC

As Head of Communications, Oli creates and oversees the content published on AIC's website, emails, Member briefings, print publications, and social media. A qualified multimedia journalist, he previously spent six years working at Farmers Weekly magazine as a Senior Reporter on the arable team, and latterly as Community Editor. More recently he was Communications Manager at Red Tractor.