Farmers save costs by using organic fertilizers

A seminar on the role of organic fertilizers in agricultural cultivation in Lam Dong Province was jointly held in the province by Saigon MeKong - Mekofer Fertilizer Joint Stock Company (Mekofer Company) and the Plant Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on March 18.

According to Dr. Tran Van Thinh, Department of Soil Science - Fertilizer, Faculty of Agronomy, University of Agriculture and Forestry, Ho Chi Minh City, production land in Lam Dong in particular and the Central Highlands in general had been severely affected by climate change in recent years.

The land has been eroded on a large scale, including hills with and without forests, the soil has become dry and even turned into laterite, while the pH coefficient is low, he added.

The expert therefore suggested farmers use organic fertilizers and humic acids to improve soil fertility, provide carbon nutrients for microorganisms and natural nutrients to help plants grow well, increase yield and quality of agricultural products.

Other attendees of the seminar all agreed that the application of organic fertilizers was of crucial importance in improving soil and increasing crop productivity.

Pham Van Tri, Chairman of Phi Vang Cooperative (Da Ron Commune, Don Duong District) said that his family was using organic fertilizer for 1,000m2 of potatoes.

After 60 days, the trees in the garden grew significantly with studier bodies and greener leaves. Particularly, the soil has become looser and the microflora has improved.

"Up to now, potatoes have grown evenly and the quantity of tubers has been higher than those fertilized inorganically. By using organic fertilizer, my family has reduced 10-15% of the cost compared with inorganic fertilizers. The yield is expected to reach 35 tons/ha,” he said.

Vu Thang, Deputy Head of Fertilizer Management Department of Plant Protection Department, MARD, also stated that organic fertilizers played an important role in improving soil fertility, productivity and quality of agricultural products.

In Vietnam, farmers in many areas have used inorganic fertilizers or both organic and inorganic fertilizers but imbalance, leading to degradation. Therefore, the Plant Protection Department has been implementing solutions to increase production and use of organic fertilizers over the past time with an aim to improve the environment and promote sustainable agricultural development.

The Department has cooperated with fertilizer enterprises to promote research, production and use of organic fertilizers. In which, Mekofer Company is one of the enterprises that have signed a cooperation agreement with the department to deploy models of balanced fertilization on some fruit and vegetable crops. At the same time, the department has opened training classes and guided farmers on the processes of economical and effective use of organic fertilizers.

Evaluating the results of Mekofer's fertilizer demonstration model on potato cultivation in Don Duong District (Lam Dong Province), Vu Thang, Deputy Head of Fertilizer Management Department, Plant Protection Department said: “This is a typical model of the effectiveness of balanced fertilization between organic and inorganic fertilizers. It is hoped that this balanced fertilizer model will be continued to be replicated on the potato growing area in Lam Dong as well as in other crops in the short term.”