Using organic fertilizers is a trend favored by many farmers.

Instead of using chemical fertilizers, many farmers in the province have chosen to switch to organic fertilizers. As a result, the cultivated land has been improved, increasing its fertility, boosting agricultural yields and value, and bringing higher income to farmers.

Using organic fertilizers is a trend favored by many farmers. Strawberry crops at Hoang Dat High-Tech Agricultural Service Cooperative (Hoang Hoa district) are thriving thanks to the use of organic fertilizers.

Recognizing the benefits of using organic fertilizers in agricultural production, since 2019, the High-Tech Agricultural Service Cooperative in Hoang Dat commune (Hoang Hoa district) has been a pioneer in using organic fertilizers in crop care.

According to Mr. Le Ngoc Nam, director of this cooperative: On the cooperative's 2.6 hectares of land, 1 hectare is used for greenhouse cultivation of crops such as Kim Hoang Hau melons, baby melons, and cherry tomatoes. The remaining area is used for growing strawberries and pumpkins according to VietGAP standards. The main source of fertilizer used for the entire crop area is organic fertilizer (95%), with the remainder being inorganic fertilizer. The organic fertilizer is mainly made from by-products discarded during production, which are fermented to create fertilizer. The cooperative also purchases 120-130 tons per year from cattle farms in Nhu Thanh and Tho Xuan districts. Although the by-products have already been fermented at the farms, the cooperative continues to ferment them for another 1-2 months after purchase. The soaking and fermentation process, along with the addition of ECOM, helps treat fungi and diseases while simultaneously creating beneficial microorganisms, enabling plants to better absorb nutrients and remain free from fungal and disease infections.

According to Mr. Nam, since using organic fertilizer, the entire production area of the cooperative has always been loose and fertile, making cultivation very favorable. In particular, the yield and quality of the products have also increased, bringing the cooperative a profit of 300-400 million VND per year.

Previously, the 7 sao (approximately 0.7 hectares) of rice land belonging to Mr. Pham Van Thach's family in Quang Phu commune (Tho Xuan district) was fertilized entirely with chemical fertilizers, resulting in frequent pest and disease infestations, and lodging, especially during the main cropping season. Since 2020, he has boldly added organic fertilizers, leading to an increase in rice yield from 2.8 quintals/sao to 3.2-3.5 quintals/sao, and even reaching 3.8 quintals/sao in some seasons. Mr. Thach said: "In the 2020 crop season, I boldly used organic fertilizer on one sao (approximately 1000 square meters) of rice during the tillering stage. With just one top dressing of organic fertilizer and one base application of inorganic fertilizer (nitrogen fertilizer) when the rice plants first took root, my family's rice crop in the first season achieved a significantly higher yield than previous seasons, by 30-50 kg/sao. Based on this success, all seven sao of my family's rice fields now use organic fertilizer."

Fertilizers are essential supplies in agricultural production. However, for convenience, many farmers in the province have overused inorganic fertilizers (chemical fertilizers), neglecting the readily available organic fertilizers derived from livestock farming and crop by-products. This long-term overuse has reduced productivity and product quality, and more dangerously, caused soil compaction and pollution, significantly impacting agricultural land. Recognizing this danger, many farmers in the province have recently become familiar with and started using organic fertilizers in their production process, although the area under cultivation remains limited.

To achieve the goal of using 300,000 tons or more of organic fertilizer in Thanh Hoa 's agricultural production by 2030, equivalent to approximately 300,000 hectares of cultivated land being fertilized at least once a year, Mr. Vu Quang Trung, Head of the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection of Thanh Hoa province, stated: "The Department has developed a plan for the development of organic fertilizer production and use in the province by 2025. Accordingly, in addition to promoting the production and use of organic fertilizers and opening training courses on organic fertilizer use, the Department will build 6 demonstration models of organic fertilizers, covering nearly 90 hectares, with crops such as rice, vegetables, fruit trees, sugarcane, cassava, and sedge. The total cost for implementing these models is over 1.567 billion VND."

According to statistics from the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, many businesses in the province are involved in the production of organic fertilizer, such as Lam Son Fertilizer Joint Stock Company, Tien Nong Agricultural and Industrial Joint Stock Company, Phuc Thinh Fertilizer Joint Stock Company, etc., with the amount of organic fertilizer produced and supplied reaching approximately 40,000 tons.

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