Different types of fertilizers such as chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers and natural fertilizers are available in the market. The type of fertilizer greatly governs the quality of your product. Farmers all over the world are using chemical fertilizers; however, many are now shifting to organic fertilizers due to the apparent benefits of the later.
Organic fertilizers are carbon based compounds that increase the productivity of plants. They have various benefits over chemical fertilizers. These benefits include the following:
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Non-toxic food: Usage of these fertilizers ensures that the food items produced are free of harmful chemicals. As a result, end-consumers who eat these organic products are less prone to diseases such as cancer, heart stroke and skin disorders, as compared to those who consume food items produced using chemical fertilizers.
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On-farm production: Organic fertilizers, most of them, can be prepared locally or in the farm itself. Hence the cost of these fertilizers is much less than the cost of chemical fertilizers.
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Low capital investment: In addition to the on-farm production possibility of organic fertilizers, organic fertilizers help in maintaining the soil structure and increase its nutrient holding capacity. Hence a farmer who has practiced organic farming for many years will require very less quantities of fertilizers as his soil is already nutrient rich.
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Fertility of soil: Organic fertilizers ensure that the farms remain fertile for hundreds of years. Land in ancient civilizations such as India and China are still fertile though agriculture has been practiced there since thousands of years there. The fertility is still maintained as organic fertilizers were used in the past. However, now with the increased usage of chemical fertilizers, land is rapidly becoming infertile forcing many farmers to further increase the chemical fertilizer inputs or leave farming.
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Safe environment: Organic fertilizers are easily bio-degradable and hence do not cause environmental pollution. On the other hand, chemical fertilizers contaminate land and water which is a cause of diseases for human beings and extinction of a number of plant, animal and insect species.
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Employment: We all know that chemical fertilizers are made in large plants that are automated and have an annual capacity of millions of tons. Organic fertilizers, on the other hand, are prepared locally and on a smaller scale. As a result, production of organic fertilizers leads to employment, especially in the rural areas, where employment opportunities are bleak.
Organic fertilizers are now commonly available in fertilizer shops as well as online. You can also make organic fertilizers yourself for your garden.
