A survey of microbial fertilizer industry: from producer to farmer

• Main Authors: Chia-Hung Lin, 林家弘
• Other Authors: Ching-Chang Shiesh
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/98631994461317077094

碩士 === 國立中興大學 === 農業企業經營管理碩士在職專班 === 102 === In order to achieve sustainable management of agriculture and overcome the problems caused by the increasing price of chemical fertilizer, many developed countries have made goals to reduce the requirement of chemical fertilizer and pesticide. Microbial fertilizers are newly developed agricultural materials which have been proved to promote crop growth. Besides, the application of microbial fertilizer also shows potential in partly replacement of chemical fertilizer. Under the efforts of industry, government, academic organization, and research institute, the items of microbial fertilizers have been listed in the Fertilizer Management Act. The present studies were undertaken to survey the situation of microbial fertilizer industry and the application of microbial fertilizer. The questionnaires were designed and the in-deep interviews were conducted with companies (fertilizer producers) and farmers (fertilizer users). The questionnaires filled out by each survey candidate were use for SPSS analyses. The main factors influencing the microbial fertilizer industry were figured out. The SWOT strategy was used to analyze the strength, weakness, opportunity and threat of microbial fertilizer industry. Suggestions are given here to promote the development of microbial fertilizer industry in a more sustainable way. The results demonstrated that the interior strength of microbial fertilizer industry includes: companies have knowledge and techniques to develop new product, they are familiar with the industry and will obtain new experiences or knowledge, seek for the solutions to problem produced by user and increase the innovation ability. The companies also have ability to develop new product through patent or technique transfer from other cooperative partner, in order to create higher industrial value. The interior weakness of microbial fertilizer industry is the unchanged management and organization process used in the development of a new product. Market requirement and technology development for microbial fertilizer bring exterior opportunity for microbial fertilizer industry. The exterior threat of microbial fertilizer industry includes: price competition, insufficient education for farmers, and high similarity between the available products in the market. The farmers have recognized that the application of microbial fertilizer can reduce the requirement of chemical fertilizer used in agriculture. The main concerns of microbial fertilizer applications from farmers’ views include the efficiency, price, inoculation method, bacterial number and biosafety of microbial fertilizer. Opinions derived from the present studies have been made to provide bases for the development of microbial fertilizer industry. Government can provide financial assistance for companies and farmers to help the development of microbial fertilizer industry. The announcement for the use of legal microbial fertilizer product should be made to farmers. Professional staffs involved in the research, production or marketing of microbial fertilizer are required. Companies can develop a variety of products with multiple functions by themselves or collaborate with universities, research institutes or other companies instead of a price war. A comprehensive inoculation method of microbial fertilizers should be provided, and the performance of microbial fertilizer after inoculation should be evaluated. Besides, new management and organization process are encouraged to be delivered in the microbial fertilizer industry. Farmers should select and utilize legal microbial fertilizers which have qualified function, bacterial number and biosafety.