By Peter Ngare
Fresh produce company, Del Monte Produce Inc has established a plant in Kenya for biofertilizer production starting next month.
“The new biofertilizer plant is situated close to Del Monte Kenya and will use residues from the company’s pineapple cannery to create different types of biofertilizers for its use and the eventual sale to other growers in Kenya and East African countries,” Del Monte’s parent company said in a statement earlier this week.
According to the communication, the plant will be run by newly-formed biofertilizer company, De l’Ora Bio with the aim of maximizing the use of residue utilization, enhance soil fertility, and meet the rising demand from consumers seeking nutritious, sustainably grown produce.
Biofertilizers are natural fertilizers that use microbes to help promote plant growth by increasing the supply of essential nutrients to the plants, improving the soil texture and yield of plants, and providing a more sustainable option to traditional inorganic fertilizers.
Use of biofertilizers has been hailed as one of climate mitigation strategy on top of increasing soil fertility by improving the physical and chemical properties of the soil.
Estimates show that the global biofertilizers market size will expand to around USD 9.14 billion by 2032. This figure is expected to grow steadily due to increasing awareness about sustainable agriculture practices, rising demand for organic food products and government initiatives promoting biofertilizer usage.
“The new Thika-based plant is currently running tests and will be fully operational in June. With the opening of this plant, the company can further support the local economy and work towards growing its footprint and impact in the region,” said Claudia Pou, the company’s Vice President and Global Head of Corporate Communications for Del Monte Produce Inc.
