Maize farmers in the country can earn more than 25 per cent harvest increase by using P-Mazao 102610 fertilizer which is also proper for other cereals such as wheat, beans, rice, millet, barley and peas than the generic Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) fartiliser which is commonly known among Kenyan farmers.
P-Mazao which is manufactured by Mea Fertilizers Ltd has 10 per cent Nitrogen and three per cent calcium, magnesium and Sulfur while the generic DAP has only two elements; phosphorous and nitrogen.
“The blended minerals in P-Mazao are very essential at every stage of maize growth. A blend of a given fertilizer is important because it tells a farmer which crop the fartiliser is best for,” said Paul Soita, lab technician, Mea Fartilizers.
“We blend various fertilisers suitable for every category of crops such as legumes, vegetables, fruits and trees among others. Farmers have to decide whether they want attainable yield which is the normal yield any farmer can achieve or potential yield which is above the normal target by choosing the best blended fertilizer.”
RELATED ARTICLE: Excess fertiliser application may cut by half farmer\’s crop harvest
For George Kili who cultivates 400 acres plot of maize in Uasin Gishu County, choosing the best fertilizer for planting and top dressing is his key priority that has seen hin increase his yields from 30 bags to 40 bags per acre per season.
He uses 120kg of P-Mazao per acre during planting and 75kg of CAN for top dressing and every season he harvests between 35-40 bags per acre of maize as compared to other farmers who use any blend of fertilizer at different stages of maize production.
“Other farmers apply around 50kg of the old DAP fertilizer which does not create a difference in production, with the right fertilizer at the right stage enables me to harvest not less than 35 bags of 90kg from an acre,” said Kili.
RELATED ARTICLE: New Amiran Kenya and Yara fertiliser triples vegetable harvests
With the right type of fertilisers for different types of crops applied during planting and top-dressing seasons, experts say Kenya may never experience food shortages in the near future.
“Farmers need to be trained on choosing the best fertiliser and fertilizer usage if they are to get value for their investments,” said Soita.
“The global challenge is not only on whether farmers use fertilisers or not, it is also on the quality, quantity and the timing of the application of fertilisers. This calls for fertilizer companies and dealers in fertilizer production and supply that would realise the potential benefits of fertilisers in Kenyan agriculture.”
RELATED ARTICLE: Algae-based organic fertiliser doubles crop and livestock yields
In addition Mea Fertilizers have triple 7 type of fertilizer good for tomatoes P-Mazao 16822 for potatoes, 25555 for citrus fruits and 23230 for cabbages.