2021 campaign for collecting soil samples for soil was started last April 14th. On the first day, technicians Thalles Henrique Gonçalves and Fabrício Francisco Tavares visited São José da Bela Vista Farm, owned by the cooperative member Felipe Dias Ribeiro. This work won`t stop for the next 4 months, during which samples will be collected at the properties of all members.
The collection is important because it is through soil analysis that producers will plan all fertilization. “Based on this analysis, producers will be able to used the right amount of fertilizer for each crop plot, so that she/he can have the best possible economic result”, said the agricultural supervisor of COOMAP Sustainability Department, Hadas Marques. This is what producer Felipe Dias Ribeiro has been doing, always based on soil analyzes results.
“It’s been two years since I started fertilizing correctly. Before, I used to spread fertilizer, but I didn’t put the right amount of it, and the benefit that the fertilizer brings you can see in the plant. The result is right there, my crop has never been as beautiful as it is this year”, guaranteed Felipe.
How does Sample Collection Campaign work?
The collection will last until the beginning of August and should reach, at least, the same quantity of last year, which was 2,600 samples. The quantity of samples per property is defined by the COOMAP technician together with the producer. Once collected, all samples are sent to the Procafé Foundation, in Varginha, which carries out the analyzes and sends results to COOMAP, where the technician interprets results and forwards it to the member.
The entire sample collection service is done free of charge for COOMAP members. Each producer also gets two analyses. Other analyzes that are carried out, if necessary, are offered at a reduced cost to members, thanks to the agreement between COOMAP and Procafé. For collecting samples, technicians use motorcycles to speed up the service.
This report was published in the COOMAP News Newsletter, issue 37. See the full article by clicking here.
