NPK fertilizers
NPK 15-15-15 — Entry Balanced Compound for Distributor Programmes
FOB Black Sea / MENA · CFR/CIF worldwide on request
Key parameters
Full specification
| Total nitrogen (N) | 15.0% min |
| Available phosphorus (P2O5) | 15.0% min |
| Potassium (K2O) | 15.0% min |
| Total nutrients (N+P2O5+K2O) | 45.0% min |
| Moisture | 1.5% max |
| Granule size | 2–4 mm, 90% min on sieve |
| Granule strength | 3.0 kg min (crush test) |
| Form | Granular compound |
| Colour | Grey to light brown |
| HS code | 3105.20 |
Full product details
Product overview
NPK 15-15-15 is the most widely stocked balanced compound in developing-market fertilizer trade — equal nitrogen, phosphate and potash in a single granule that covers baseline crop nutrition without soil-test customisation. At 45% total nutrients it sits at the economical end of the balanced NPK range, making it the default import grade for national distributors, agricultural cooperatives and government subsidy tenders across West Africa, East Africa, South-East Asia and the Middle East.
Each prill delivers 15% N for vegetative growth, 15% P2O5 for root establishment and 15% K2O for drought and disease tolerance. Granules sized 2–4 mm flow through mechanical spreaders and rotary planters without bridging. Typical crop programmes include maize at 200–300 kg/ha, rice at 150–250 kg/ha, vegetables at 300–400 kg/ha and orchard top-dress at 150–200 kg/ha — rates adjusted to local extension recommendations.
Production origins include Black Sea NPK complexes, Central Asian granulation plants and MENA toll-blending facilities. Potassium is typically supplied as MOP; buyers requiring chloride-free formulations should specify SOP-based production at enquiry stage. HS code 3105.20.
Loading ports & logistics
Bulk NPK 15-15-15 moves in geared bulk carriers from 3,000 MT minimum up to 25,000 MT handymax parcels. Common FOB load ports include Novorossiysk, Baltic corridor terminals, Damietta and Jebel Ali transhipment hubs. Loading rates reach 4,000–8,000 MT per day at modern fertilizer berths.
CFR and CIF quotations add ocean freight and marine insurance to the FOB price. We nominate handysize to handymax tonnage aligned with discharge draft limits at Mombasa, Lagos, Chittagong, Ho Chi Minh City and other developing-market ports. Contract lead time is 10–20 days from payment instrument confirmation to first day of laycan.
Bagged alternatives ship in 20 ft or 40 ft containers — 50 kg PP bags with PE liner for retail-ready distribution, or 1,000 kg FIBC for cooperative bulk purchase. Container lots from 24 MT suit landlocked destinations that cannot receive bulk vessels.
Packaging & documentation
Each lot ships with a mill certificate of analysis showing N, P2O5, K2O and moisture results. On request we arrange SGS or equivalent pre-shipment inspection at load port. Standard document set: commercial invoice, packing list (bagged lots), bill of lading, certificate of origin and phytosanitary certificate where the destination customs regime requires it.
Payment terms: irrevocable LC at sight or CAD for first-time buyers; established accounts may negotiate open-account structures. Partial shipments are permitted under bulk contracts with multiple laycan windows.
FAQ
Why is 15-15-15 the entry balanced grade for African distributor programmes?
The equal N-P-K ratio simplifies retail labelling and farmer advice where soil testing is limited. At 45% total nutrients it carries the most economical entry point among balanced compounds, letting distributors build volume before upgrading customers to higher-analysis grades.
When should buyers step up to 16-16-16 or 17-17-17 instead of 15-15-15?
Higher-analysis balanced grades reduce application rate and freight cost per nutrient kg when logistics to the farm gate are expensive. Stay on 15-15-15 when retail price sensitivity matters more than tonne efficiency — typical in government subsidy tenders and smallholder markets.
Is bagged or bulk shipment preferable for 15-15-15 import?
Bulk vessel discharge suits port-side bagging operations and large cooperative buyers with silo infrastructure. Pre-bagged 50 kg lots add handling cost but skip local bagging investment — preferred where inland transport from port is long and re-bagging capacity is absent.
Related products
- NPK 16-16-16 — next step up in balanced analysis at 48% total nutrients
- NPK 12-12-12 — lower-analysis balanced grade for price-sensitive retail markets
- NPK 20-10-10 — nitrogen-forward compound for cereals and cotton
- NPK compound prices per ton in 2026