Procurement knowledge
Fertigation vs fertiliser: the difference and why RFQs must separate them
Fertigation is the delivery system — injection pumps or venturis, mixing tanks, EC and pH control, dosing channels and the controller that applies nutrients through irrigation water. Fertiliser is the nutrient product being applied. They are not interchangeable: fertigation is a capital equipment purchase, fertiliser is a recurring input purchase.
What is the difference between fertigation and fertiliser?
Fertigation is the delivery system — injection pumps or venturis, mixing tanks, EC and pH control, dosing channels and the controller that applies nutrients through irrigation water. Fertiliser is the nutrient product being applied. They are not interchangeable: fertigation is a capital equipment purchase, fertiliser is a recurring input purchase.
- Fertigation scope: dosing channels, injection method, EC/pH sensors, acid line, mixing tank, controller and safety devices.
- Fertiliser scope: soluble grades, compatibility, purity, packaging, logistics and recurring supply.
- Equipment suppliers and fertiliser suppliers are usually different companies with different RFQs.
- A fertigation system does not create a nutrition programme; that is an agronomic decision made separately.
Two different purchases
Fertigation is capital equipment installed once and operated for years. It is specified in flow, pressure, channel count, injection accuracy, control logic and integration with the irrigation head unit.
Fertiliser is a consumable specified in solubility, nutrient analysis, purity, compatibility with other salts and delivery terms. Its cost recurs every season; the fertigation system's cost does not.
Why mixing them breaks the RFQ
When a single request asks for "fertigation", some suppliers answer with a dosing unit, others with a fertiliser programme, and a few with both partially covered. The resulting proposals cannot be compared, and the buyer often discovers after contract that neither the controller nor the nutrient supply is fully in scope.
- Specify the fertigation system in the irrigation RFQ, with the interface to the head unit defined.
- Handle fertiliser supply as a separate, recurring procurement with its own terms.
- Keep the nutrition programme itself with a qualified agronomist — it is not an equipment decision.
What the fertigation specification should contain
Dosing channels and their individual capacity, injection method (dosing pump, venturi or pressure-differential), EC and pH control range and accuracy, acid handling, mixing and stock tank volumes, filtration position relative to injection, controller channels, sensors, alarms and remote access. SeedMatchGroup does not manufacture, install, engineer or finance equipment, and guarantees no yield, saving, ROI or payback.
Frequently asked questions
Sometimes, but the two scopes should still be quoted and priced separately so equipment quality and nutrient pricing can each be evaluated on their own terms.
No. Fertigation gives finer control over when and how much nutrient reaches the root zone; the outcome depends on crop, water quality, the nutrition programme and operation.
In the head unit, typically after the main filtration stage and before the field distribution, with its own protection filter and non-return devices. Exact placement must be confirmed by the designing supplier.