Boosting Yields and Profitability with Haifa’s Advanced Nutrition Solutions
In the 2024 growing season, processing tomato growers in Pontelongino, Italy, witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of the Haifa 360 approach. This innovative strategy integrates multiple products to tailor nutrition precisely to the crop’s needs, optimizing growth and performance.
Through a field demonstration, Haifa showcased how a comprehensive nutrition program can significantly enhance yields, increase profitability, and outperform conventional fertilization methods.
Trial Overview
The trial compared two fertilization strategies:
Farmer’s conventional practice
Haifa’s controlled-release fertilization (CRF) strategy
The treatments were as follows:
Haifa treatment
Fertilizer | Timing | Rate (kg/ha) | Total N | Controlled release N | P2O5 | K2O | MgO | CaO |
Before planting | 500 | 90 | 45 | 75 | 100 | - | - | |
At planting | 5.6 | 0.168 | - | - | - | - | - | |
30 days after planting | 150 | 23.25 | - | - | - | - | 39.75 | |
100 | 13 | - | - | 45 | - | - |
Farmer’s practice
Fertilizer | Timing | Rate (kg/ha) | Total N | Controlled release N | P2O5 | K2O | MgO | CaO |
Granular fertilizer 12-12-17 | Before planting | 500 | 60 | - | 30 | 85 | - |
|
Liquid starter formula | At planting | 30 | 1.5 | - | 9 | - | - |
|
Calcium nitrate | 30 days after planting | 150 | 23.25 | - | - | - | - | 39.75 |
Calcium ammonium nitrate | 200 | 54 | - | - | - | - | 11.2 |
Foliar nutrition
In addition to soil fertilization, both treatments received foliar applications according to the following schedule:
- HaifaStim™ Force (3 L/ha): Applied at 15 days after transplant, second truss flowering, and full fruit set.
- Poly-Feed Foliar 4-15-34+MgO+ME (5 kg/ha): Applied at second truss flowering, full fruit set, and twice during fruit growth before color break.
Results & economical analysis
Haifa treatment resulted in significantly higher yields, that after covering the higher costs, left the grower with better net revenue:
| Yield (ton/ha) | Fertilizer cost €/ha | Revenue €/ha | Net income* €/ha |
Farmer’s practice | 85 | 664 | 12,750 | 3,086 |
Haifa treatment | 100 | 920 | 15,000 | 5,080 |
Yield increase: +17.6%
Additional net revenue: +1,994 €/ha
*Based on an average production cost of 9,000 €/ha, and an average tomato price of 150 €/ton.
Conclusion
This trial clearly demonstrated the advantages of Haifa’s fertilization programs. The combination of controlled-release nutrition, HaifaStim Force, and foliar NPK applications resulted in higher yields and greater profitability. While the initial fertilization investment was higher with Haifa strategy, the increased yield fully compensated for the cost, leading to significantly improved net income.
By adopting advanced fertilization practices like Haifa 360o, growers can maximize productivity, enhance profitability, and ensure sustainable crop performance.
