Organic fertilizer, a key fertilizer for improving soil and enhancing crop quality, follows the principles of "harmlessness and resource utilization" in its production process. The core process revolves around four main stages: raw material pretreatment, fermentation and maturation, processing and shaping, and finished product testing. Each step directly determines the quality and effectiveness of the organic fertilizer. Scientific control throughout the entire process is crucial for successful organic fertilizer production and the creation of high-quality products.
Raw material pretreatment is the foundation of production, focusing on removing impurities and adjusting conditions. Raw materials typically include livestock and poultry manure, crop straw, and kitchen waste. These are first screened and crushed to remove impurities such as stones and plastics. Straw needs to be crushed to 2-5mm for easier decomposition. Subsequently, the carbon-nitrogen ratio is adjusted to 25-30:1 and the moisture content to 55%-60%. If necessary, composting microbial agents are added to lay a solid foundation for subsequent fermentation and maturation. This step effectively prevents incomplete fermentation and the generation of unpleasant odors.
Fermentation and maturation are the core processes of organic fertilizer production and the key to achieving "harmlessness." The pretreated raw materials are piled or placed in fermentation tanks. The temperature is controlled at above 55℃ and maintained for 3-5 days. High temperatures kill pathogens, insect eggs, and weed seeds. During fermentation, a compost turning machine is used to regularly turn the piles, ensuring ventilation and promoting microbial activity, while also releasing ammonia gas produced during fermentation. When the material cools to room temperature, turns dark brown, and has no noticeable odor, it indicates that maturation is complete. At this point, the raw materials have been transformed into loose, easily absorbed organic nutrients.
Processing and shaping primarily improve the usability and storability of the organic fertilizer. The matured material is crushed to a finer particle size, removing any incompletely decomposed hard lumps. Then, depending on the requirements, a disc granulator or a new type of organic fertilizer granulator is used to produce granular organic fertilizer. After granulation, the granules are sent to drying equipment to reduce the moisture content to below 30%, preventing clumping and mold during storage. Finally, the product is cooled to room temperature using cooling equipment for subsequent packaging.
Finished product testing is the final quality control step, ensuring that the product meets national standards. The main testing indicators include organic matter content, total nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content, moisture content, pH value, and heavy metal content. Strict adherence to fertilizer standards is required, with organic matter content needing to be no less than 45% and heavy metal content meeting safety limits. After passing the tests, the organic fertilizer is quantitatively packaged, labeled with relevant information, and then stored in the warehouse or released to the market.
These four core stages are interconnected: pretreatment empowers fermentation, fermentation determines nutrient transformation, shaping improves ease of use, and testing ensures product safety. By scientifically controlling each stage, it is possible to achieve resource utilization of waste materials, standardize the production of organic fertilizers, and produce high-quality organic fertilizers, providing strong support for sustainable agricultural development.
