FERTILIZERS - TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

EVALUATION COVERS THE PERIOD 6/78 TO 7/79 AND WAS BASED ON THE LIAISON OFFICER"S CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TVA (TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY) PROJECT STAFF. THIS RSSA PROJECT HAS SERVED AID IN AN ADMIRABLE FASHION. TWO PLANNED ACTIVITIES -- THE ANALYSIS OF US FERTILIZER PORT FACILITIES AND PREPARATION OF A DIRECTORY OF US FERTILIZER PORT FACILITIES -- ARE COMPLETED. BOTH ARE PROVIDING CRUCIAL INFORMATION TO AID PROCUREMENT OFFICERS AND TO MANUFACTURERS AND BROKERS SEEKING WAYS TO DELIVER FERTILIZER MORE COMPETITIVELY. THE TVA"S NATL FERTILIZER DEVELOPMENT CENTER HAS PROVIDED MORE INTERNATIONAL SERVICES THROUGH THE AID RSSA DURING 1978-1979 THAN IN ANY COMPARABLE YEAR SINCE IT WAS ORGANIZED. PAPERS HAVE BEEN PREPARED ON THE FOLLOWING TOPICS -- SULPHUR COATED UREA, PAN-GRANULATION, PIPE REACTORS, AND US FERTILIZER PATENTS. INFORMATION IS BEING GATHERED AND ANALYZED ON FERTILIZER PACKAGING AND HANDLING IN THE US, AGRONOMIC AND MARKETING RESEARCH ON US FERTILIZERS, AND TRENDS AND ANALYSIS OF THE US FOREIGN TRADE IN FERTILIZERS. IN ADDITION, PREPARATIONS ARE UNDERWAY FOR AN INTERNATIONAL SHORT COURSE IN AGRICULTURAL RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT TO BE OFFERED AT NFDC IN THE SUMMER OF 1980.