Inputs

Agricultural Inputs

Agricultural inputs such as seed, fertiliser and crop protection products are required yearly on farm to plant, grow and then protect a crop.  Different crops require different inputs and cost a different amount to bring to harvest.

In order to maximise the yield of a crop, a farmer will use fertiliser and crop protection products.  The amount spent on these porducts will be outweighed by the increased yield at harvest as the farmer has more crop to sell.  Thus they allow farmers to be mre profitable.  

The most commonly used consumable inputs are: 

• Seeds (standard or hybrid) 

• Fertililers 

• Herbicides

• Insecticides 

• Fungicides

• Straw 

• Hay

• Water 

Farm Marketplace advises the holistic use of all available plant protection methods and subsequent integration of appropriate measures to discourage the development of weed, pest and disease populations and keep the use of pesticide and other interventions to levels that are economically and ecologically justified and minimise risks to human health and the environment.  This is the say, use products when the argue for their use is both economically and environmentally sound.  A human example of this that we face in our own lives, is when you have a headache, you may have a glass of water first to re-hydrate prior to reaching for the asprin.  The same approach can be taken in farming.

The prevention and/or suppression of harmful organisms should be achieved or supported among other options especially by:

• crop rotation,
• cultivation techniques, 
• use of resistant/tolerant cultivars and standard/certified seed/planting material,
• use of balanced fertilisation, liming and irrigation/drainage practices,
• hygiene measures (e.g. cleansing of machinery)
• protection and enhancement of important beneficial organisms,
• Monitoring of Harmful organisms
• Application of plant protection based on monitoring data
• Use of biological, physical and other non-chemical methods must be preferred to chemical methods if they provide
   satisfactory pest control.
• Application of pesticide should be as Targeted as possible.
• The professional user should keep the use of pesticides and other forms of intervention to levels that are
   necessary and that do not increase the risk for development of resistance in populations of harmful organisms.
• Anti-resistance strategies should be applied to maintain the effectiveness of the products.
• Review the success of plant protection measures.

If you require any help in making decisions then please do give us a call.