Field Tests Begin! Controversial Bio-Fertilizer Tested On Soybeans Crop

(Update: The planting was deferred because of the heavy rains last night which made the field soggy.)
The controversial BioPrime 5-5-5 NPK Fertilizer claimed to boost production by over 10% while reducing the use of synthetic fertilizer will be tested in a 1-hectare Soybeans Farm in Ugpay, Mlang, Cotabato starting today.
I am personally conducting and supervising the Field Test with technicians from BioPrime Agri Industries, Inc. which is the distributor of the Bio-Fertilizer in the Philippines.
The Trials will be conducted side by side with another area where I will use our tested protocols on Soybeans production.
I agreed to conduct the Field Trials upon the request of a friend but I have been very honest in telling her that I have critical reservations because of several factors.
First, the BioPrime which costs about P5,000 per pack is contained in 3 small plastic containers whose contents are mixed with 2 liters of water and then further diluted into 30 liters of water.
For the first application, the 2 containers of 5 grams of BioPrime diluted in 60 liters of unchlorinatred water is sprayed on the furrows before seeding.
Another application using the third container of 5grams of BioPrime will be sprayed on the Soybeans as Foliar Spray after 30 days for a total expense of P5,000 per hectare.
Second, there will be cultural challenges because farmers who equate productivity to the volume of fertilizer applied on the field will certainly balk at paying P5,000 for a small pack of BioFertilizer.
Third, while BioPrime application could reportedly reduce the use of synthetic fertilizer by half, it must show dramatic increase in yield to justify the cost.
The BioPrime Fertilizer became controversial when the Department of Agriculture (DA) previously wanted to purchase a huge volume to be distributed to the regional offices to be given to farmers.
Regional Offices rejected at the idea saying that more extensive tests should be conducted to prove the efficacy of the BioPrime Fertilizer.
By agreeing to conduct the tests in my farm, I will be able to independently validate the claims without any influence or interference.
#ProtectingFarmers!