Farmers in Quang Vinh commune in Thua Thien - Hue province work in the winter-spring rice fields. (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam wastes at least 23 trillion VND (1billion USD) annually on fertilisation, experts said and called for replacementof conventional fertiliser with more hi-tech products.
Le Nhu Kieu, vice head of Soil and Fertilisers Research Institute under VietnamAcademy of Agricultural Science, said that about half of the amount of nitrogenfertiliser fed to plants gets released to environment, 70-80 percent ofphosphorus fertiliser amount was kept in soil and 50-60 percent of ureafertiliser amount was either evaporated or eroded.
On average, in Vietnam, plants and crops received only 35-40 percent of thefertiliser given to them, he said.
About 11 million tonnes of inorganic fertilisers are used in the country on ayearly basis, he said.
The leaked fertiliser pollutes water, impoverishes soil and makes it hard torestore the soil’s quality.
“Overuse of chemical fertilisers also threatens human and other living being’sgenes, as it could cause genetic mutations, which will bring diseases forcrops,” Kieu said.
Kieu told khoahocphattrien.vn that it is time to promote “hi-techfertilisers” to increase productivity and be safer to the environment.
Compared with conventional fertilisers, the hi-tech fertilisers can helpincrease productivity up to 20 percent.
Using conventional nitrogen fertiliser on rice, farmers usually lose about halfof the fertiliser amount. The loss can drop 20 percent when hi-tech fertilisersare used.
Mai Van Quyen, former vice head of the Institute of Agricultural Science forsouthern Vietnam, said that major fertiliser producers are using newtechnologies.
For examples, scientists are applying urea liquefying technology makeshigh-nutrient NPK (Nitrogen – Phosphorus – Postassium) and working to produceother substances that can be easily absorbed and released more slowly to theenvironment.
The slow-release fertilisers - or controlled-release fertilisers - arepolymer-coated.
The thickness of polymer coats allows different absorption speeds.
Quyen said that some polymer-coated fertilisers can be used for five months tonine months, which helps reduce the frequency of fertilizing.
Proper fertilisation also helps avoid diseases and eutrophication – anexcessive richness of nutrients in soil.
Despite of advantages, hi-tech fertilisers have not been used widely inVietnam’s farms.
Trinh Thi Diep – a fertiliser seller in Thieu Duy commune, Thieu Hoa districtin the central province of Thanh Hoa said that her customers preferredconventional fertilisers because of lower prices and quick visible affects.
“They use nitrogen fertiliser today and see its effect in tomorrow, as theleaves growth much greener,” Diep said.
Experts say that farmers lack proper understanding about new fertilisers.
Business and relevant agencies need to boost communication to show farmers theeffectiveness of hi-tech fertilisers. -VNA
Le Nhu Kieu, vice head of Soil and Fertilisers Research Institute under VietnamAcademy of Agricultural Science, said that about half of the amount of nitrogenfertiliser fed to plants gets released to environment, 70-80 percent ofphosphorus fertiliser amount was kept in soil and 50-60 percent of ureafertiliser amount was either evaporated or eroded.
On average, in Vietnam, plants and crops received only 35-40 percent of thefertiliser given to them, he said.
About 11 million tonnes of inorganic fertilisers are used in the country on ayearly basis, he said.
The leaked fertiliser pollutes water, impoverishes soil and makes it hard torestore the soil’s quality.
“Overuse of chemical fertilisers also threatens human and other living being’sgenes, as it could cause genetic mutations, which will bring diseases forcrops,” Kieu said.
Kieu told khoahocphattrien.vn that it is time to promote “hi-techfertilisers” to increase productivity and be safer to the environment.
Compared with conventional fertilisers, the hi-tech fertilisers can helpincrease productivity up to 20 percent.
Using conventional nitrogen fertiliser on rice, farmers usually lose about halfof the fertiliser amount. The loss can drop 20 percent when hi-tech fertilisersare used.
Mai Van Quyen, former vice head of the Institute of Agricultural Science forsouthern Vietnam, said that major fertiliser producers are using newtechnologies.
For examples, scientists are applying urea liquefying technology makeshigh-nutrient NPK (Nitrogen – Phosphorus – Postassium) and working to produceother substances that can be easily absorbed and released more slowly to theenvironment.
The slow-release fertilisers - or controlled-release fertilisers - arepolymer-coated.
The thickness of polymer coats allows different absorption speeds.
Quyen said that some polymer-coated fertilisers can be used for five months tonine months, which helps reduce the frequency of fertilizing.
Proper fertilisation also helps avoid diseases and eutrophication – anexcessive richness of nutrients in soil.
Despite of advantages, hi-tech fertilisers have not been used widely inVietnam’s farms.
Trinh Thi Diep – a fertiliser seller in Thieu Duy commune, Thieu Hoa districtin the central province of Thanh Hoa said that her customers preferredconventional fertilisers because of lower prices and quick visible affects.
“They use nitrogen fertiliser today and see its effect in tomorrow, as theleaves growth much greener,” Diep said.
Experts say that farmers lack proper understanding about new fertilisers.
Business and relevant agencies need to boost communication to show farmers theeffectiveness of hi-tech fertilisers. -VNA
VNA
