QUALITY

‘Field Choice’ is deservedly recognised by the trade and farmers alike as a quality brand, which commands a premium over competitors’ products. Consistently high quality product is achieved – and maintained – through an uncompromising commitment to source only the best quality raw materials, allied to rigorous quality control throughout the production, handling and distribution processes.

RAW MATERIALS

Carrs Fertilisers could cut costs in producing ‘Field Choice’ by buying the cheapest available raw materials but consider such an approach represents false economy. Given production, storage and transport costs are the same regardless of product quality, it is worth investing a little more in buying quality raw materials to ensure the highest possible quality of finished products.

Nitrogen
Only high quality, granular CAN or SP5 prilled AN (from Terra) are used as the main nitrogen sources in ‘Field Choice’.

Carrs Fertilisers will not compromise the ‘Field Choice’ reputation for quality by using cheaper nitrogen sources such as imported AN from Eastern Europe which would potentially cause problems with keeping quality, separation and uneven spreading.

Phosphate
Only high quality DAP or MAP whose granule size and density is evenly matched to our nitrogen and potash sources is used in ‘Field Choice’. Our specification requirements demand that the water solubility of the P 2 O 5 in our DAP and MAP is a minimum of 92%.

Potash
Potash is also bought to exacting chemical and physical standards to ensure compatibility with the other materials in ‘Field Choice’. The potash mined from under the North Sea by Cleveland Potash Ltd. consistently matches our requirements.

Compounds
Carrs Fertiliser periodically use various granular compounds such as 30:10:0, 16:16:16 and 10:25:25 as building blocks in ‘Field Choice’. These compounds are subject to the same rigorous quality standards as any other raw material.

Fillers
The main grades in the ‘Field Choice’ range are formulated to be free of limestone fillers, which can cause wear and tear on farm machinery and are of no agronomic value whatsoever. Further, Carrs Fertilisers consider the blending, bagging, haulage and handling of such inert materials to be inefficient and not environmentally responsible.

PRODUCTION

Having bought high quality materials it is imperative that the quality ethos is extended into the production process.‘Field Choice’ is produced at each of our five production sites to a consistent, tried and tested Standard Operating Procedure (as per our ISO 9002 QA system).

Screening
‘Field Choice’ is top and bottom screened to remove over and under sized material and also dust. Many competitors’ products are only top screened, if at all. This screening process, although expensive, is essential to ensure an even sized, dust free product, which will be free flowing and will spread evenly.

Oil Coating
‘Field Choice’ is coated with a specially formulated mineral oil, heated to 80 degrees C to ensure a clean, free flowing finished product with excellent keeping qualities.

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