Organic Fertilizers in Cane Farming

The focus of cane farming has been on the production of organic foods using organic fertilizers for the past few years. There are two main reasons for this tread in cane farming — the public awareness of environment protection needs has increased and the several benefits when using renewable resources and organic fertilizer.

Why use organic fertilizers in cane farming?

There are several benefits involved, and here are some listed below:

Using organic fertilizers in cane farming is environmentally friendly. On the other hand, chemicals can kill the many beneficial insects and microorganisms needed for healthy cane farming. The chemicals in inorganic fertilizers can also cause environmental degradation and thus decrease crop yields in cane farming.

Inorganic fertilizers might also cause leaching and groundwater pollution due to contamination from pesticides. These threats are eliminated if organic fertilizers are used in cane farming instead. In an organic cane farming system, natural pest controls are used and practiced. In fact, in cane farming, the focus in pest management is not through cure but through prevention.

In cane farming, pest prevention can be achieved in many ways. The first step is to use organic fertilizers in order to build up healthy soils within the cane farming system. The process of adding organic fertilizers into a cane farming system is done to ensure that sugar cane plants are adequately nourished. Organic fertilizers such as cover crops, composts etc. are the best since they are widely available in cane farming system and are also much cheaper than inorganic fertilizers.

As well, some organic fertilizers can act as a natural pest control. Organic fertilizers made from powdered crab shells have high amounts of chitin that can protect it from harmful fungi and prevent plant diseases.

Aside from being environment-friendly, the use of organic fertilizers in cane farming increases consumer acceptance of the cane farm's product. These days people prefer organic products because they believe they're healthier, tastier and safer. With a cane farming system that utilizes organic fertilizers such as nutrient-enhancers, consumers are assured they are eating foods that aren't genetically modified or enhanced.

The third benefit of organic fertilizers in cane farming is that going organic increases the market potential. Currently, organic fertilizers and products harvested from organic farming methods like cane farming represents just a small fraction of total food sales in the market. However, on the upside, the world market for more organic fertilizers and other products are steadily increasing each year, and it's expected that crop yields and product sales of cane farming will reach 5-10% of food sales in the world market in the next few years.

Current sales estimates of all organic fertilizers and cane farming products sales amount to about US $20 Billion. Fish emulsions, seaweed extracts, bone meal, blood meal and bat guano are just a few of the organic fertilizers that are being exported all over the world. Sugar cane produce from cane farming systems have also increased dramatically after the implementation of organic fertilizers into their fertilizing programs.