What does NPK do to your plant?
Nitrogen (N)
- The leaf producer
- Construction of new cells & enzymes.
- Construction of green pigments.
- Accountable for leaf & stem growth.
- Assists plants with rapid growth.
PHOSPHORUS (P)
- The root maker/flower inducer
- Supports root growth and blooming
- A vital part of the development of photosynthesis.
- Involved in the creation of all oils, sugars, and starches.
- Helps with the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy.
POTASSIUM (K)
- The flower inducer/fruit maker
- Encourages uptake of water
- Critical in the growth of flowers and fruits.
- Adds plants to fight diseases.
- Support plants make better use of light and air.
Understanding the different benefits each of the NPK nutrients is important to your plants. Basically, all plants need nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to grow. The growth and production of plant crops, fruits, flowers, or leaves will be affected if any of these nutrients are absent from its elements.
In a nutshell:
- Nitrogen (N) – is responsible for the growth of leaves.
- Phosphorus (P) – is responsible for the growth of root, flower, and fruit.
- Potassium (K) – is responsible for the overall functions of the plant perform correctly.
By understanding the NPK values in fertilizer, it can assist you to appropriately select the right values for the right type of plant that you are growing. For example, if you are concentrating on leafy vegetables, you might want to go for a higher N number to promote the leaf and its growth. You apply the same understanding to P and K.
We hope this article helps you to better understand the significant effect of nutrients such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. Good Luck and Happy Planting!!!
Palm oil to recover in second half (2H), fuelled by China, India uptake
Credit: Workers sort bunches of harvested oil palm fruit at the Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd. palm oil plant in Besout, Perak.
Photographer: Goh Seng Chong/Bloomberg
KUALA LUMPUR: The local palm oil sector is poised to begin its recovery in the second half (2H) of 2020 following the easing of Covid-19 lockdowns globally.
This would, in turn, improve global demand from major consumers particularly China and India, said Boustead Plantations Bhd chief executive officer Ibrahim Abdul Majid.
The upstream oil palm plantation company predicted that stockpiles will dwindle in anticipation of better demand for edible oil in the global food supply chain.
“For the short-term, the sector is expected to remain impacted, we continue to adopt a longer-term view given the nature of our industry,” Ibrahim told the New Straits Times.
He is also optimistic for the year ahead given the crude palm oil (CPO) export tax exemption aimed at managing Malaysia’s stock level, which has to a certain extent lifted prices.
Ibrahim said Indian buyers had resumed purchasing Malaysian palm oil after a four-month gap following a diplomatic row, with buying spurred by a fall in domestic inventories and discounted prices.
“Even though the short-term prospects for the plantation sector are weak given the current environment, we are optimistic that prospects will improve as the world sees a gradual recovery,” he added.
Ibrahim said Malaysia Palm Oil Council’s (MPOC) had forecast CPO prices to hit a peak of RM2,594 per tonne in 2H, and this would improve Boustead Plantations’ bottom line.
“We expect to see enhanced fresh fruit bunches (FFB) production in 2020, due to the full-year consolidation of production from Tawai estates.
“At the same time, harvesters’ productivity which is addressed via our Transformation Programme is also expected to have a positive impact on FFB production,” he said.
Ibrahim said the company expected its average CPO price for 2020 to be in the range of RM2,400 to RM2,500, benefitting from the palm oil export tax exemption from July until December this year under the National Economic Recovery Plan and significant recovery in global palm oil demand from May.
“Demand is expected to be a key factor in determining prospects for CPO in 2020 and 2021.”
He added that the lingering effects of the Covid-19 crisis were likely to curtail disposable income particularly in relation to food in developing countries.
This, in turn, may curb the prospective uptrend in world consumption of oils and fats.
“We expect the large demand losses stemming from the lockdowns in the first-half of 2020 to be recouped by next year.
“Overall, this forecast is based on the assumption that the Covid-19 pandemic comes under reasonable control soon.”
Ibrahim, however, said if the pandemic did not come under control, this would put another round of downward pressure on all major commodities
link: https://www.nst.com.my/business/2020/07/611829/palm-oil-recover-2h-fuelled-china-india-uptake
Credit: NST By Ayisy Yusof – July 27, 2020 @ 8:22am
Let us resume our work, palm oil groups urge Sabah govt
KOTA KINABALU: Palm oil groups today urged the Sabah government to consider allowing firms to resume operations for essential procedures such as harvesting, crop evacuation, and milling despite the nationwide movement control order (MCO) which has mostly shut down activity in the country.
In a joint statement, the Malaysian Palm Oil Association and Malaysian Estate Owners Association said there would be social impacts from the closure of operations in the state.
“The industry strongly feels that we can better contain the spread by continuing operations rather than curbing them,” they said.
hey said closing operations only highlights “the operational nightmare” in addition to the potential revenue loss of about RM860 million for a month’s closure in Sabah.
“The loss in 7.5% sales tax revenue to the government amounting to about RM57 million could actually be used to support the fight to contain COVID-19,” they added.
Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal recently announced the closure in phases of palm oil operations in the districts of Tawau, Lahad Datu, and Kinabatangan.
He said this would begin with oil palm plantations before being extended to mills as well.
The three districts account for 65% of the total planted area of 1.2 million hectares and 75% of production in Sabah involving some 100,000 workers.
The groups said these workers would be left idle and confined to their quarters for long hours due to social distancing.
They said the workers might also leave to look for jobs elsewhere or attempt to return to their home countries, which would pose a threat to the MCO objective of containing the spread of COVID-19.
They also said the industry had committed to supporting the government in its battle against the virus by introducing and adhering to guidelines and SOPs at all estates and mills, including a so-called voluntary lockdown.
**Credit: FMT News
**Credit to featured image: freemalaysiatoday.com