Biofertilizer plant opens in Laguna 

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

AGRI SPECIALIST, Inc. said it opened a 2,000-square meter automated manufacturing facility in Laguna with a capacity of 7,200 metric tons of biofertilizer annually. 

The facility makes fertilizer that uses the nitrogen-fixing properties of bacteria known as Bio N, a blend of Azospirillum and nutrient-rich mediums developed by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) in 1991, its Chief Executive Officer and President Mario C. Labadan, Jr. told BusinessWorld.

“The plant’s production capacity is set to meet the country’s biofertilizer needs, with the goal of reducing dependence on imported chemical fertilizers,” the company said in a statement.

Among the staff of the P250-million Bio N facility are graduates of UPLB’s National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology.

The biofertilizer promises to increase farmer incomes, with five 200-gram packs of Bio N fertilizer sufficient for a hectare planted to rice or corn. Every kilogram of the biofertilizer can replace 100 kilos of urea, an inorganic fertilizer, Mr. Labadan said.

Bio N provides 30-50% of the total nitrogen requirement of rice and corn.

Bio N has undergone testing by rice farmers in 13 regions over the past two cropping seasons.

“Farmers have reported healthier plants — characterized by deep green leaves, sturdy stems, and robust root systems — along with fewer pests and reduced need for chemical pesticides,” the company said, citing findings from its pilot studies.