CAN — Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (26% N)
A milder, quick-acting nitrogen fertiliser. Costs more per kg of nitrogen than urea, but it does not gas off and it carries calcium — which is why horticulture leans on it.
- Composition
- 26% N (nitrate + ammonium) + calcium
- Form
- Round granules
- Price
- Moderate (dearer per kg N than urea)
- Best for
- Top dressing on horticulture & acidic soils
Overview
CAN supplies about 26% nitrogen — roughly half as fast-acting nitrate and half as ammonium — along with calcium. The nitrate fraction is available to the crop straight away, and unlike urea it does not lose nitrogen as ammonia gas when surface-applied, so more of what you spread actually reaches the plant.
It has a low salt index and is gentle on seedlings and roots, and its calcium and non-acidifying nature suit acidic and hilly soils where urea and ammonium sulphate would push the pH the wrong way. The trade-off is price: nitrogen from CAN costs more than nitrogen from urea, so it is used where its gentleness and calcium earn their keep — vegetables, fruit and tea rather than a bulk cereal top dressing.
What it is and when to reach for it
- A quick, gentle nitrogen source with built-in calcium — reach for it on vegetables, fruit, tea and acidic or hilly soils.
- Its nitrate half acts immediately, so it is a good top dressing when the crop needs nitrogen now.
- On a bulk cereal, urea is cheaper per kg of nitrogen; CAN is worth its premium where the calcium and non-acidifying nature matter.
How to apply it well
- Top-dress on a standing crop; because it does not volatilise, it tolerates surface application better than urea — but watering in still helps.
- Split it across the crop’s demand stages like any nitrogen fertiliser.
- Favour it on acidic soils, where it will not drop the pH further the way urea or ammonium sulphate can.
Common mistakes
- Paying the CAN premium for a bulk cereal crop where urea would have done the same job far cheaper.
- Storing it carelessly — nitrate fertilisers take up moisture and cake, and must be kept away from combustible material.
- Treating it as a full nutrient plan — it carries no phosphorus or potassium.
Crops it is used on
Open a crop for its full nutrient schedule.
Common questions
CAN or urea — which is better?
Urea is cheaper per kg of nitrogen and is the default for bulk field crops. CAN is gentler (low salt index), acts immediately through its nitrate fraction, does not gas off, carries calcium and does not acidify the soil — so it is preferred for vegetables, fruit, tea and on acidic soils, where those qualities are worth the higher price.
Why does CAN not lose nitrogen like urea?
Urea must first convert to ammonia on the soil surface, and much of that ammonia can gas off if it is not watered in. CAN’s nitrogen is already in ammonium and nitrate form, so it does not have that volatilisation step, and surface application loses much less.
Is CAN good for acidic soil?
Yes. CAN does not acidify the soil the way urea and especially ammonium sulphate do, and it adds calcium, so it is a good nitrogen choice on acidic and hilly soils where keeping the pH up matters.
Composition and doses follow ICAR / Soil Health Card guidance; prices are the notified subsidised rates for the season shown and are guidance, not a quote. A soil test for your field always beats a general rate. See our editorial policy.