Project under way to produce biofertilizers from agricultural residues

MATANZAS, Cuba, Jun 23 (ACN) The development of a technology to extract humus from agricultural residues and use them as biofertilizers is the purpose of a project currently under way in this province.

Promoted by the University of Matanzas, the initiative is destined to the Pharmaceutical Products Producing and Marketing Company LABIOFAM as part of the regional food safety program, particularly in the fields of production, quality and sustainability.

Irina Pedroso Rodríguez, head of the project, told ACN that the residues to be reused are cattle manure and cachaza (fermented sugar cane juice) for which the optimum operational conditions for the extraction process will be defined and all the necessary equipment will be designed.

The research, which was the central topic of the doctoral thesis prepared by this chemical engineer and master of environmental contamination, is already underway and the process will soon start in a pilot plant following a number of different tests.

Pedroso Rodríguez explained that the aim is to obtain several natural products of high commercial value with a view to marketing them as biofertilizers and using them as raw material to produce granulated and organic fertilizers in order to replace imports.

“Another expected impact will be the partial or total replacement of chemical products currently used as fertilizers and whose production is highly detrimental to the environment. Besides, the use of humic substances improves soil conditions,” she said.

According to the expert, the development of a new product and its associated technology could lead to an increase in the labor force in rural areas and, therefore, have a positive impact on the communities.