Boosting organic fertiliser production

As people are becoming more conscious about their health and environmental issues, there is increasing demand for organic fertilisers. Unfortunately, the organic fertiliser sector has not grown on expected lines in Bangladesh. It is disconcerting to note the meagre amount produced by the local factories. According to a report published in this newspaper on Saturday, Bangladesh meets only 0.2 per cent of its organic fertiliser demand from commercial production. The report quoted the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) saying that factories in commercial operation can produce only 50,000 tonnes of organic fertilisers annually. The farmers, using traditional methods, individually produce 14.3 lakh tonnes across the country. However, the demand is much more than the produced amount. Sayed Rafiqual Amin, additional director (inputs) of the DAE’s field service wing, told The Business Post that “Each hectare of land needs around three tonnes of organic fertilisers per year. Thus, 82 lakh hectares of net cropland in the country need 2.46 crore tons of fertilizers to keep the soil fertile.”

There is an urgent need to increase agricultural production to fulfill the food requirements of the growing population. The use of chemical fertilizers to enhance agricultural production has become a common practice globally, including in Bangladesh. However, the increasing use of chemical fertilisers has been debated for a long time due to their adverse effects on plant physiology, soil quality, animals, and human beings. Experts believe that the overuse of chemical fertilisers causes soil and water pollution. Their extensive use directly affects the environment as chemical residues from fertilizers may remain in the soil and cause soil pollution, contaminate the surface or groundwater, or be released into the atmosphere. Residues left in the soil emit ammonia, methane, nitrous oxide, and elemental nitrogen into the environment.

It has been argued that the raw material of organic fertiliser is not adequate. However, we believe that the supply of raw materials will increase if it is brought under incentives. There are bright prospects for producing organic fertilizer in the country. The government has plans to implement a new waste policy to produce biogas and organic fertilisers from solid wastes. The wastes are disposed of untreated in open dumps in developing countries. This causes serious environmental and health problems due to contaminants and pathogens. All the composts have suitable agronomic properties as organic fertilizers. Hundreds of tonnes of food, mainly coming from homes and food markets, are wasted annually. These can easily uses as raw materials for organic fertiliser production.

In Bangladesh, organic fertilizers are more prevalent among potato farmers and vegetable growers. However, there is a recent positive trend regarding the more diverse use of organic fertilisers. The report cites experts stating that it has become essential to use organic fertiliser. The soil needs five per cent organic matter, while less than two per cent is not acceptable at all. But the amount of organic matter in the country’s soil is less than two per cent on average. There should be awareness among the farmers about the benefits of organic fertiliser. The demand for organic fertiliser is expected to shoot up as the government plans to increase the use of organic fertilisers by 35 per cent by 2030. The factories producing organic fertilisers should augment their capacities to take advantage of the increasing demand.

Large industrial plants have invested heavily in chemical production. Still, enough initiative has not been taken to produce and market organic fertilisers. There are a few large companies in the country are involved in this business. However, as stated earlier, these companies can supply only 50,000 tonnes of organic fertiliser in the country. The authorities concerned may provide incentives for free bio-waste supply, equity funds, cash, tax exemptions, easy leases to build production plants, etc., and marketing.

Sustainable farming depends on the ability to boost quality and yield while protecting our own health, the quality of soil, and the broader environment. Naturally produced fertilisers can support healthy microbial life in the soil and provide practical and cost-effective crop support. Organic fertilisers are suitable for use in sustainable farming operations.