Yara Ghana Limited has introduced two new fertiliser products aimed at increasing crop yields and agricultural productivity in the country.
The two products, Yara WINNERS PLUS and Yara LEGUME, have been specially formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of cereals, fruiting crops and legumes while providing farmers with crop-specific fertiliser solutions for productivity and soil fertility.
The Yara WINNER PLUS is formulated for cereals and fruiting crops, particularly rice.
It contains a balanced blend of nitrogen, phosphorus and high potassium, together with magnesium, sulphur, calcium and zinc to promote healthy crop growth, improve disease resistance and increase grain and fruit quality.
On the other hand, the Yara LEGUME has been developed for legumes such as soybean, cowpea and groundnut.
It contains high phosphorus to stimulate root development and energy transfer, while boron promotes flowering and pod formation.
The formulation also contains sulphur and calcium, which are crucial for improving protein and oil quality, as well as enhancing natural nitrogen fixation.
Both fertilisers are recommended for basal application about two weeks after planting and are designed to improve nutrient uptake, increase yields and support sustainable agricultural production.
Crop-specific nutrition
Unveiling the new products in Walewale last Wednesday, the Country Manager of Yara Ghana, Theresa Randolph, said the company developed the two products after extensive research into the nutrient requirements of crops grown by Ghanaian farmers and the specific needs of farmers across the country.
She explained that the growing demand for fruits, vegetables and cereals, particularly rice, informed the development of Yara WINNER PLUS, while the increasing economic importance of soybean, cowpea and groundnuts in northern Ghana necessitated the introduction of Yara Legume.
She said although many farmers believed leguminous crops did not require nitrogen because they naturally fixed atmospheric nitrogen, scientific research had shown that the application of balanced crop nutrition significantly improved root development, pod formation and overall yields.
Mrs Randolph said studies conducted over the past five years under the Soybean Productivity Improvement in Northern Ghana (SPING) project, in collaboration with researchers from the University for Development Studies (UDS), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and other partners, confirmed that Yara LEGUME substantially increased crop growth and productivity.
She, therefore, urged farmers to apply the products according to the recommended agronomic practices to maximise yields, improve their incomes and contribute to national food security.
Product application
For his part, the Northern Sector Commercial Manager of Yara Ghana, Mahama Abdul-Rahaman, explained that products were specifically formulated for vegetables, watermelon, cowpea, Soyabean, fruits and rice to provide balanced crop nutrition and maximise yields.
"Crops have different nutritional requirements just as human beings require different diets.
Cereals, vegetables and legumes all need different nutrient combinations to achieve optimum growth and productivity," he said.
Timely intervention
The North East Regional Director of Agriculture, Edward Nasara, expressed optimism that the products would help farmers improve yields, increase incomes and strengthen food production in the region.
