Harvest Time
Bio-organic fertilizer for high corn yields, income
By Sosimo Ma. Pablico
CORN GROWERS in the Ilocos may as well benefit from the experience of Mindanao farmers with the application of a bio-organic fertilizer, which greatly reduced their use of inorganic fertilizer.
In Banisilan, Cotabato, for instance, the corn yields of Ric Allado, 47, increased to as much as 9 tons a hectare with the application of Durabloom, a bio-organic fertilizer manufactured by Novatech Agri-Food Industries, in combination with inorganic fertilizer.
“With Durabloom application, the amount of inorganic fertilizer applied per hectare was reduced to 10 bags and the cost of fertilizer was also reduced, resulting in increased income,” Allado said. He used to apply 11 bags of complete fertilizer and 4 bags of urea per hectare, but this is now reduced to 10 bags.
Durabloom’s major component is processed chicken manure, said Dr. Ronaldo Sumaoang of Camiling, Tarlac who discovered the bio-organic fertilizer. It contains humus, digestive enzymes, beneficial microorganisms, selected fungi, the macroelements nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and the microelements zinc, sodium, manganese, iron, magnesium and copper.
In our recent visit to Mindanao, the huge pile of corn cobs near his warehouse, which looked like a hill of corn cobs, was an excellent testimony to Allado’s high corn yield. In addition, a good volume of corn grains stored in bags were still to be disposed.
Allado, who also operates a farm supply store, said the corn yields of farmers whom he encouraged to use Durabloom were reportedly higher than in previous years.
Two large farm supply store owners in Wao, Lanao del Sur – Lorna Pablico [not related to this writer] and Fely Balasoto – also attested to the increased yields of farmers who bought the bio-organic fertilizer from them. The farmers applied 10 bags Durabloom per hectare in combination with inorganic fertilizer.
With Durabloom application, Dexter Pablico [also not related to this writer] harvested 13.5 tons of corn grains from 2 hectares. His harvest from the second corn crop in the same area last year was only 4 tons.
The fertilizer cost of Marlon Palmares was also reduced, while his corn increased by 1,000 kg per hectare. At P10 a kilo, he got an additional income of P10,000 a hectare. His sugarcane yield also increased from 52 t/ha [tons a hectare] to 80 t/ha.
Although Novatech Agri-Food Industries has its own plant in Sta. Ignacia, Tarlac, its franchisee in Bantayan Island, Cebu supplies Durabloom for Mindanao and the Visayas.
Since Mindanao farmers are now benefiting from a discovery of a Berlin-trained Ilocano microbiologist from Tarlac, nothing should now hinder farmers in the Ilocos from using the bio-organic fertilizer in a large scale. Tarlac sugarcane planters have already started to use it.
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