Poultry litter draws more attention usually due to its smell. It also attracts keenness owing to its contents that are cheaper fertilizers as well as are essential nutrients for crops. Phosphorous, Nitrogen and Potassium are some of the main fertilizers used in growing crops such as cotton, peanuts, corn, hay, soybeans and wheat. These three key fertilizers are found in chicken litter and are helpful in growing the above mentioned Georgia crops. Hence, they have the significance of being the highest U.S. poultry producer. The recent years are viewing a skyrocketed price in commercial nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous prices. These synthetic fertilizers consume lot of petroleum. In addition to this, the oil price has also shot up and that becomes inclusive into these costs.
India, China and Brazil have a constant increase for fertilizer as well as oil and this has also added to the increase in the fertilizer prices. Nitrogen cost in the year 2006 ranged between 32 to 63 cents per pound, but now the same has reached between 50 to 93 cents. This shows a fifty percentage increase. Phosphorous was 38 cents in 2006 and potassium was 24 cents, but in the recent three years, phosphorous reached 92 cents and potassium escalated to 90 cents per pound. The amount of phosphorous, nitrogen and potassium poultry litter is based on the chicken food before producing it. Approximately, one ton litter has 38.5 pounds of nitrogen, 48 pounds of potassium and 50 pounds of phosphorous available.
Poultry litter is considered to be one of the best and cheaper fertilizers as it cost $14 per ton. This shows that it is cheaper than any other nitrogen sources. Moreover, phosphorous, potassium as well as any other benefits received from poultry litter is available free. Poultry litter is applicable to crops before it is planted and not after they start growing. Farmers in the growing seasons fertilize their crops twice. However, a recent survey showed that farmers are purchasing litter only in the month of spring just before planting time. In fact nearly 15 percent of people purchase it even during late summer, while the other 25 percent purchase it in winter. Conversely, the average poultry litter pays $21 per ton today in Georgia. Now, it is coming to broad daylight and the producers are able to recognize that poultry litter is valuable than the historic price. It is also viewed as an alternative for other fertilizers. There are chemical based fertilizers having appropriate balance of nitrogen, potash and phosphorous and are also cost-effective. However, much attention should be given to their application methods as well as towards the proper crop rotation, to prove its effectiveness. There is no doubt that organic growing is always a win-win situation. Organic fertilizers are certainly better, productive and cost-effective.
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