Cuba’s sugar industry is setting out to increase its organic fertilizer production and use, as it recognizes that these fertilizers are not only good for the environment, but also for the economy as they cut back on imports of chemical fertilizers. This information was confirmed by Liobel Pérez, from the Sugar Ministry’s communications office, who told Tierramérica that some 75,000 tons of compost are produced annually from a mixture of several sugar industry by-products and residues.

In 2008, some 8,000 hectares were fertilized with this organic composition and another 800 were fertilized with cachaza, a residue discharged during cane juice clarification, which is often sprayed directly over crops.

Compost facilitates soil drainage, is resistant to microbial decomposition, retains atmospheric nitrogen, and has a high phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and nitrogen content, Pérez explained.