Farmers around the country can expect increasing yields following the launching of the commercial manufacturing of agricultural lime today.
Launching Fiji’s first locally manufactured aglime, Minister for Agriculture, Inia Seruiratu said that aglime is a soil additive made from pulverised limestone.
“The effect of aglime on soils is that it increases the pH of acidic soil, provides a source of calcium and magnesium for plants, permits improved water penetration for acidic soils and improves the uptake of major plant nutrients of plants growing on acid soils,” Mr Seruiratu said.
The Minister added that various studies done in the past on Fiji’s soils have confirmed that most of our local farm soils are acidic and need liming to revitalise and maximise crop yields.
“We have noticed that the current soil condition on some key agricultural areas is depleting and productivity is lost,” Minister Seruiratu said.
Standard Concrete Limited, the manufacturers of Aglime in collaboration with the Aus Aid Market Development Facility were also commended by the Minister for having the vision and effort for developing a business initiative that would benefit both the company and the farmers from the increasing yields expected after the aglime application.
“This ongoing project would build strong partnership between governments and the private sector in a collaborative effort to solve issues of interest to agricultural development in Fiji,” Mr Seruiratu said.
Mr Seruiratu also pointed out that ‘liming’ can only be practical in Fiji if the farmers know and understand the need for aglime in their soil to improve their yield.
Aglime will be made available at the Agriculture Show in Lautoka from next week.
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