Smart Fertilization: AI Helps Farmers Cut Costs

A large-scale experiment in southern Russia has shown that artificial intelligence can make fertilization more precise, saving farmers money while maintaining high yields.

Smart Fertilizer Calculations

One of the most important tasks in crop cultivation is selecting the optimal amount of fertilizer for each section of a field. Farmers want to use as little as possible to minimize costs while still achieving maximum yields.

Russian farmers, working with scientists, have successfully introduced artificial intelligence (AI) into the fertilization process. Specialists from Progress Agro, a farming group in the Ust-Labinsky district of Krasnodar Krai, and researchers from the Kuban State Agrarian University (KubSAU) spent several years testing a differentiated nitrogen application model called ProfAgro, powered by AI.

In 2023–2024, the new technology was tested on two experimental fields measuring 83 and 68 hectares. Results showed significant cost savings—400,000 rubles (about USD 4,500) compared to standard fertilization methods. The experiment demonstrated savings of 2,567 rubles (about USD 29) per hectare.

AI in Production Trials

In 2024 and 2025, production trials began to test AI-based recommendations for crop fertilization.

Crucially, the AI does not issue general recommendations for entire fields but instead calculates doses for specific 10-by-10 meter “pixels” within each field. The model draws on data ranging from crop rotation tables to soil analyses, while also accessing open data sources such as satellite imagery and weather forecasts.

This allows for nearly site-specific fertilizer recommendations, specifying what type and amount of nutrients are needed for each plot to achieve the desired outcome. To implement the AI-driven approach, Progress Agro employs specialized equipment capable of applying fertilizers variably across the field.

Agriculture has long been a high-tech industry where the introduction of advanced technologies into production is essential for development. For us, it is crucial to make the most effective use of modern innovations, and artificial intelligence is indispensable. It not only helps us increase yields and optimize fertilizer use but also integrates with other advanced systems. For several years now, our company has used smart machinery that can be operated with AI. Looking ahead, the next stage will be applying AI to primary fertilization

Leonid Ragozin

CEO of Progress Agro Group

A comparative analysis was carried out between AI-recommended differentiated fertilization and conventional uniform application. The study involved 25 test fields and 25 control fields, covering a total of 4,250 hectares. The results showed that overall savings compared to control fields reached 1.86 million rubles (about USD 21,000). Importantly, yields did not decline: the average yield on test fields was 70 centners per hectare.

Scientists and Farmers Working Together

The project was a joint effort between practitioners and researchers, including Evgeny Truflyak, Head of the Department of Agricultural Machinery Operation at KubSAU; Pavel Nefedov, project manager at Progress Agro; and lead agrochemist Elena Popova.

The experiment demonstrated that precision fertilization with AI-based analysis allows for more efficient use of inputs and greater effectiveness for Russian farms.

“The introduction of modern AI technologies significantly eases and optimizes the work of agronomists. AI speeds up fieldwork preparation, helps select precise doses, and integrates with other digital tools on the farm. We have already seen significant yield improvements, along with a 3% reduction in fertilizer costs. I can confidently say that this technology has enormous potential,” noted Elena Popova, lead agrochemist at Rassvet Agroholding.

Progress Agro continues to develop its precision farming program. This includes not only differentiated fertilization but also the use of smart equipment for uniform seed placement at optimal depth; autopilot systems for seeding and harvesting; and the “Field History” platform, which allows real-time monitoring of all crop production processes.

Food Security and Accessibility

The experiment showed that AI can cut costs in agriculture while preserving production efficiency. The solution can be integrated into other digital platforms and scaled across different regions and crops.

In the future, it could even be marketed internationally to countries looking to increase food production without raising costs.

Another important achievement is the experience gained through collaboration between KubSAU scientists and Progress Agro farmers, which will help train a new generation of specialists for Russia’s digital agriculture sector.