The Head of Extension Services at the Department of Food and Agriculture in the Lower Manya Municipality of the Eastern Region, Mr. Alex Fourjor has advised farmers to follow instructions while applying compound fertilizers on cash crops.
Mr. Fordjour’s concerns arise out of what he describes as the irresponsible or inappropriate application of fertilizers by farmers.
He attributed the challenge to illiteracy which he said affected the quality of produce earned out of crops subjected to such practices.
“Due to illiteracy and lack of adherence to instructions, farmers use the inorganic fertilizers on their cash crops anyhow. They either apply the fertilizers in lower quantities than required or apply more than the required quantities,” he underscored.
“This jeopardizes the growth of the crop which sometimes leads to food poisoning.”
Mr. Alex Fourjor made the call in an interview with Hon. Edwin Larbi during Rite FM’s Agrotech Monday to educate farmers on the improper application of compound fertilizers on cash crops while educating them on proper application methods.
The Extension Officer said natural land is already enriched with various quantities of nitrogen and hence the need to follow the instructions on the fertilizers before applying the Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Calcium, commonly referred to as NPK.
He was emphatic that cash crops planted within two weeks, for instance, requires liquid fertilizer to enable the fertilizer get to the crops.
“When cash crops are planted within two (2) weeks, the best form of NPK to apply is the liquid type so that it can get to the roots of the crops but some farmers rather resort to the tablet type which is not the best,” he explained.
Mr. Fordjour therefore advised farmers to take farming very seriously as a life time business by practicing proper agronomy, especially those who are into commercial farming and also engage the extension officers to educate them enough to enable them get their effort’s worth.
Compound fertilizers or inorganic fertilizers are made of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Calcium popularly call NPK which is liquid and tablet with instructions written on them concerning their usage.
Source; Prince Paul Amuzu/www.ritefmonline.org/princeamuzu667@gmail.com
