YaraMila fertiliser.
Cereals farmers can now reduce soil acidity and up their yields this planting season with YaraMila Power fertilizer which has ready-for-absorption nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium micronutrients for plants as compared to other fertilisers in the market whose micronutrients take time to get ready for the plants’ intake.
The fertilizer which is a product of Yara East Africa Limited, a company which provides farmers with best practices and knowledge on farm input products to up their (farmers) yields, is in the composition ratio of N:P:K 12:24:12.
“The nitrogen content in YaraMila Power is 12 representing 25 per cent meaning that much of the nitrogen has been converted to a form ready for absorption by plants as compared to other fertilizer with high nitrogen content of up to 18,” said Stephen Mburu, the company’s Sales Agronomist.
“Fertilisers with high nitrogen content in raw form goes through a longer nitrogen fixation process which releases much acids to the soils hence increasing the soils acidity and with time farmers find that they can no longer produce as much grains as they used to.”
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In addition, the phosphorous element in the fertilizer is released for the plants’ absorption for a longer time besides it being readily available for intake by plants almost immediately after application.
After a successful trials in various places towards the end of last year where maize farmers who used it recorded increase in yields from 28 to about 35-40 bags per acre, the company introduced the fertilizer for farmers beginning March this year targeting cereal farmers this planting season.
“Our products have been tested and approved. We began selling our specialised products approximately four years ago and we have since been increasing our portfolio by introducing new products into the market; the latest being YaraMila, a planting fertilizer for our farmers,” said Carol Mumo, Marketing and Communications Manager.
“YaraMila Power is best for planting but we also have YaraBela Sulfan fertiliser which can be used for top dressing once the crops are at knee high.”
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A 50 kilogram of both fertilisers is enough for an acre piece of farm and prices varies from region to region. For instance, farmers in the coast region may buy the fertilises cheaper as compared to other farmers in other regions as the products are first received in Mombasa on import.
“Our fertilisers recommended for maize are also good for cereal crops but the rate and time of application changes per crop and the prices differ from region to region and also from shop to shop. We advise farmers to check for prices at their respective distributor or agrovets shops close to them,” said Mumo.
The company has over 250 distributors spread across different regions in Kenya. The distributors range from major distributor agents, farm input suppliers and stockists.
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Farmers are therefore advised to buy the fertilisers from specific accredited distribution points to avoid fake products and counterfeits cases which occur every year especially during the subsidy fertiliser period.
“We face numerous challenges and especially about fake products but we have partnered with the right agencies including an anti-counterfeit agency and other partners in educating the farmer about the products so as to prevent farmers from purchasing the wrong products,” said Mumo.