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Fertiliser and Grain Input Shortages — Mineral Solutions for Crops and Poultry

Supply is tightening across Australia

If you haven’t secured your fertiliser, feed, or grain storage inputs, now is the time to act. Global disruptions — especially around the Strait of Hormuz — are affecting:

  • Fertiliser availability and prices

  • Grain storage products

  • Poultry feed ingredients

Domestic stocks are expected to tighten into April. Farmers and poultry growers cannot delay planting or feed preparation.


Australian attapulgite clay and diatomaceous earth for soil efficiency, grain protection, and poultry dusting
Australian attapulgite clay and diatomaceous earth for soil efficiency, grain protection, and poultry dusting

Australian minerals — available now

From Geraldton, Western Australia, two naturally occurring minerals have proven agricultural and poultry applications:

  • Attapulgite clay (palygorskite)

  • Diatomaceous earth (DE)

These are not fertilisers or feed supplements by themselves, but they help:

  • Improve fertiliser efficiency in cropping soils

  • Retain soil moisture

  • Protect stored grain for poultry feed

  • Control storage insects without chemicals

  • Reduce reliance on imported inputs


1. ATTAPULGITE CLAY — IMPROVE SOIL AND NUTRIENT EFFICIENCY

Key properties

  • High cation exchange capacity (CEC)

  • Extremely high surface area

  • Strong adsorption capability

  • Natural binding properties

  • Chemically inert and pH neutral

Practical benefits for growers and poultry farmers

  • Holds nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus in the root zone

  • Reduces leaching losses in sandy and lighter soils

  • Improves water retention around the seed zone

  • Supports early root growth and crop establishment

  • Can be blended with fertiliser or used in poultry feed carrier systems

This season’s relevance

Where fertiliser is limited or poultry feed ingredients are constrained, attapulgite clay helps maximise input efficiency.


2. DIATOMACEOUS EARTH — NATURAL GRAIN AND PEST PROTECTION

Key properties

  • Composed of microscopic silica structures

  • Highly porous with sharp particle edges

  • Strong moisture absorption

  • Chemically inert

Practical benefits

  • Protects stored grain for poultry feed

  • Acts as a physical insecticide (non-chemical)

  • Damages insect cuticles, causing dehydration

  • No chemical residues or resistance issues

  • Suitable for grain storage, feed mills, and poultry sheds

Additional uses

  • Anti-caking agent in fertiliser and feed

  • Controls mites and lice in poultry operations


What these minerals do — and do not do

They CAN:

  • Improve fertiliser efficiency in cropping soils

  • Reduce nutrient loss and improve water retention

  • Protect stored grain and poultry feed

  • Support sustainable farming and poultry operations

They DO NOT:

  • Replace nitrogen or phosphate fertiliser

  • Replace complete poultry feed formulations


Why this matters now

This season is defined by:

  • Limited fertiliser and feed supply

  • Rising input costs

  • Urgent timing for sowing, feed preparation, and grain storage

Using locally sourced minerals provides:

  • Immediate availability

  • No import dependency

  • Supply chain certainty for crops and poultry feed


From mineral to finished product

Attapulgite clay and diatomaceous earth are processed into finished agricultural and poultry products by Hudson Marketing Pty Ltd, including:

  • AgriFix 102 (fertiliser and soil amendment)

  • AgriFix 103 (agrochemical and feed carrier applications)

For detailed product specifications, blending guidance, and application rates, refer to AgriFix product information.

Learn more

AgriFix — Supporting Australian growers and poultry farmers

Reliable, locally sourced attapulgite clay and diatomaceous earth for soil efficiency, grain protection, and sustainable farm operations.




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