BAGUIO CITY — The “organic” fertilizer produced at the city’s Environmental Recycling System (ERS) facility must be analyzed to determine its Nitrogen Phosphorus and Potassium or NPK content to establish whether it indeed qualifies as organic fertilizer.
Esther Andiso, agriculture technician of regional soils laboratory of the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera, during the city council’s session on Monday explained to the councilors that the NPK is a macro-nutrient element needed for plant growth and development.
She said that a large amount of NPK is needed by the plants for them to attain their growth potentials, and bring better yield to farmers.
Compared to micro nutrient elements, Andiso said that for a fertilizer to qualify as an organic fertilizer, the total NPK analysis must be 5 to 7 percent. Below five, she said, it is considered as a soil conditioner which can improve the texture of the soil.
She told councilors that the laboratory analysis at the regional soil laboratory is free.
She also said that the laboratory analysis for soil will be the basis in recommending what fertilizer to use, which also depends on what the kind of crop to be planted.
She urged the city government through the city council to regularly have their compost organic fertilizer analyzed at least once a month.
The city council invited the representative from the regional soils laboratory to advise the city on the production of compost fertilizer.
The city government produces thousands of kilograms of compost fertilizer from its ERS which is bought by private companies for their farms.
The compost comes from the biodegradable waste produced in the different barangays, particularly at the city market as a result of the waste segregation imposed to all residents and establishments in Baguio. Pamela Mariz Geminiano/PNA