Green fertilizers for low-carbon emissions

A mindset shift

Viet Nam National Chemical Group (Vinachem) views the green transition not merely as a compliance requirement but as a prerequisite for strengthening competitiveness. Since 2020, the group has integrated environmental criteria into its development strategy, adopting "green - clean - circular" as its core orientation. The shift from linear thinking to a circular economy model has been consistently embedded across the entire Vinachem system.

The group has issued a series of new environmental protection regulations, conducted emissions inventories, monitored energy consumption, and required member units to ensure that green space accounts for at least 15% of total factory premises.

The green strategy became more clearly defined during the 2020 - 2025 period, as Vinachem promoted a range of technology projects aimed at streamlining production, recovering and recycling emissions. The group has completed its greenhouse gas inventory and developed a roadmap to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 5% by 2030 relative to 2024 levels. Fertilizer plants, long regarded as CO2 emission “hotspots,” have been equipped with modern emission recovery systems.

At Ninh Binh Fertilizer One Member Co., Ltd., approximately half of the CO2 generated is recovered and refined into high-purity liquid CO2 that meets standards for the food and medical industries. This initiative not only reduces emissions but also generates annual revenues of several hundred billion VND.

Similarly, at Ha Bac Fertilizer and Chemicals Joint Stock Company, surplus CO2 is recovered, and SO2 treatment systems and electrostatic dust filters are installed, ensuring exhaust emissions remain stable and compliant with national standards.

With 34 member units, Vinachem aims to increase the share of renewable energy to 5-10% by 2030 and establish circular economy models at large-scale production facilities, thereby making a tangible contribution to Viet Nam’s Net Zero targets.

Developing green fertilizer products

Alongside technological upgrades, Vinachem has identified the development of green fertilizers as a strategic priority, aiming to reduce production emissions and enhance agricultural quality. Lâm Thao Phosphate and Chemical Joint Stock Company has been tasked with leading this field. The company is promoting organic-mineral fertilizers, biofertilizers, and slow-release fertilizers products considered suitable for soil protection while meeting export market standards.

Supe Lam Thao is committed to using clean, pure sulfur and ores (99.9%) for producing superphosphate and sulfuric acid, avoiding the use of recycled acids or ores containing heavy metal impurities. In NPK production, the company does not use Ammonium Chloride which is a substance that negatively impacts soil and crops. Instead, 100% of its NPK output is made from Potassium Sulfate, suitable for high-value and chlorine-sensitive crops such as coffee, tea, pomelo, and oranges.

Proactively promoting digital transformation and applying scientific and technological advancements, Lam Thao Fertilizers & Chemicals Joint Stock Company (LAFCHEMCO) has continually perfected its management model, enhanced the efficiency of its production and business, and increased its market adaptability over the past period. In the first nine months of 2025, the enterprise overcame numerous challenges, comprehensively completed all planned targets, and maintained a stable growth momentum.

According to Mr. Tran Dai Nghia, Deputy General Director of Supe Lam Thao, the company is investing in a 20,000-ton-per-year Potassium Sulfate (SOP) production line, underscoring its commitment to eliminating Potassium Chloride from its supply chain and providing high-quality, environmentally friendly fertilizers. This, the company’s leadership notes, will help Vietnamese agricultural products better meet increasingly stringent export standards.

Efforts to reduce emissions, implement emission-recovery technologies, and develop green fertilizers are gradually helping Vinachem build a sustainable production ecosystem.

Research conducted by the Fertilizer and Plant Nutrition Research Center, part of the Institute of Soil Science and Fertilization, has shown that the use of the "Lam Thao Fertilizers - Reducing emissions and adapting to climate change - Enhancing soil health" product line has brought tangible benefits to farmers. These benefits include a reduction in fertilizer usage by 10 - 20%, helping farmers save on input costs, as well as a 15 - 20% increase in crop yields.

Investment in modern production lines, equipment improvements, and enhanced product quality have helped the company maintain its competitiveness, supplying the market with new fertilizer lines such as microbial NPK-S, neutral Superphosphate, and organic mineral fertilizers, meeting the diverse needs of farmers.