Volyn Farm Improves Sandy Loam Fertility Through Sideration and Organic Matter

At Ratnivsky Agrary agricultural enterprise in the Volyn region, up to 2,500 heads of beef cattle, including a breeding herd, are kept. This substantial livestock operation enables the farm to systematically apply organic fertilizers to its agricultural fields.

The manure is first carefully composted, and the ready-made compost is subsequently applied to the fields. In combination with the use of sideral crops, this method effectively restores and maintains long-term soil fertility.

Valentin Bebes, the director of the enterprise, shared these insights with The Ukrainian Farmer magazine. According to him, this approach allows the farm to manage the soil comprehensively not only during the cultivation of main crops but also in the intervals between plantings.

Cover and sideral crops actively improve the physical condition of the soil between primary cropping cycles, while organic compost ensures the consistent return of organic matter and essential nutrients to the earth.

This technology is of particular importance for sandy loam soils, which require systematic attention and consistent management to preserve their fertility levels and prevent long-term degradation.

«Today we look not only at the harvest of a specific year, but also at the condition in which we will leave the field behind and what kind of soil we will be working with in a few years», notes Valentin Bebes, director of the farm.