by Zac Sarian July 09, 2016
Manila Bulletin – Agriculture Section
(Edited for brevity and $ conversion)
A tomato farmer in Alitagtag found that a new foliar fertilizer can produce higher yields and profits in tomatoes despite low farm gate prices.
Anthony Cortes reported that Mike Justiniani who applied Supravim, (BioWash 25) averaged 53 tons per hectare or 18 tons more than the 35 tons that he previously harvested.
Despite low price during the harvest season (P8 per kilo), Justinian was able to make an additional profit of P144, 000 ($2,885.76) per hectare. (2.47 acres or $1,168.32 per acre).
Cortes who distributes Supravim says that it provides several benefits for plants.
First, it enables the plants to develop massive root systems so they can take up more nutrients.
It also makes plants more resistant to drought. That is one reason Justiniani was able to prolong the harvesting period to two months instead of the usual one month.
Supravim reduces flower drop and promotes high fruit set. It also promotes more branching leading to more fruiting points per plant. Justiniani also saved on costs of pesticides because Supravim reduces insect infestation.
Justiniani did not alter his usual practice in fertilizing his tomato plants with inorganic fertilizers. What he simply did was to spray 10 liters of Supravim per hectare worth P 8,800 ($176.53). And that gave him an additional profit of P144,000 ($2,885.76) per hectare despite the low-price during harvest time from the latter half of March this year to the middle of May.
(ROI: 163%)
Justiniani planted three hectares to Diamante Max variety on January 12, 2016, and started harvesting on March 16. The Supravim was applied four times. The first spraying was 15 days after transplanting and repeated three times every 15 days. One liter of Supravim is mixed in water in a 200-liter drum and then sprayed on the plants.
Note: BioWash 25 (Supravim) is certified as “Suitable for Organic Farming.”
