Practical Value Chain Initiative with Dutch Natural Fertilizers Fertilizers for a healthy soil Matthé Vermeulen Seminar “Added value in business between Hungary and The Netherlands – Hungarian Business Network (HBN) Amsterdam, 13 March 2014

Who is Matthé Vermeulen Managing director/owner of DOFCO International bv – Together with Jaap Uenk – Export of natural fertilizers President Royal Dutch Grain and Feed Trade Association - Het Comité- Board member GMP+ – World wide Quality management system for the feed industry, incl. grain and feed trade Board member Product Board Feed

Who is BMA Bureau Mest Afzet – Office for processing and export of manure products Independent association Members – Processors of manure – Exporters – Distributers of manure and natural fertilizers – Farmer organisations – Agricultural Contractors organisations

What is done by BMA Services to assist the associated members on: – Processing techniques of manure – Export of value adding natural fertilizer products Consultancy on global technical and legal issues on manure processing Weekly digital collection of news paper articles

Phosphate balance from Manure in The Netherlands (2012) 53% of surplus on farms 45% of surplus is exported

2012 Export Manure (products) Export of mainly raw manure and compost Besides this volume 5 mio kilo phosphate is exported in dried and pelletized form to 50 countries world wide > 43% are products from poultry manure

Value of organic matter Delivery of active nutrients – N / P / K / S / Ca – Micro nutrients : Na, Fe, Mb, Cu, Mn Soil structure – Water balance / water managements Higher water retention Less vulnerable for drought – Air management Less density of soil / increased pore size – Workability of the soil Soil Health /soil resistance

Effects of organic matter in agricultural crops Little short term effect Long term effects: – Increased yields of between 3 – 5 % – Bigger effect on potatoes and maize – Less effect on sugar beets – Bigger effect on sandy soils – Less effect on clay soils  Natural fertilizers are supplier of nutrients as well as soil improver

Purpose of Fertilization Nourishing the soil – The basis for a qualitative good and high yield Nourishing plants – Optimizing production capacity and quality  always combination of natural and chemical fertilizers

BMA-project Hungary (1) Why Hungary: – Less Livestock farming – Shortage on Phosphate balance – Relatively low harvest/HA i.e Wheat harvest France kg/HA Hungary 4530kg/HA Establishment of a consortium – Developing a Market for natural fertilizers Demonstration projects on 5 farms Field trials of small plots

BMA-project Hungary (2) Duration of 4 to 5 years Guided by Hungarian research companies In cooperation with: – The Dutch Agricultural Council – Hungarian grain farmers Additional members are searched as: – Partners for the consortium – Farmers for field trials – Financial partners

Closing the cycle Hungary is exporting in 2013/14 – 2,7 mio. ton maize – 1,8 mio. tons wheat  exporting nutrients and organic matter Hungary has to import nutrients and organic matter from West-Europe  To close the cycle and be in balance

Field test Poland (1)

Field test Poland (2) Conclusions Positive results on potatoes Nutrients from natural fertilizers can replace nutrients from chemical fertilizers Logistic capacity is higher with chemical fertilizers Plus value of natural fertilizers because of organic matter and micro nutrients

Thanks for your attention About consortium and the use of natural fertilizers DOFCO International BV Matthé Vermeulen  