Aussie farmers turning to soil enhancers to grow healthy crops

Australian farmers are increasingly using soil enhancers to maintain a high quality of workable soil, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) revealed on Wednesday.

The use of soil enhancers, including dolomite and lime, increased by 19 percent between 2013-14 figures and the 2014-15 figures, according to the ABS's Director of Rural Environment and Agricultural Statistics, Lauren Binns. The enhancers were used to increase soil quality in harsh regions, such as in the Western Australian (WA) outback, she said.

It was "heartening" to witness a movement towards practices which improve soil condition and help maintain natural resources, said Binns. The enhancers often act to aid drainage, balance soil acidity and add subtle amounts of nutrients to previously-deficient land.

"There were notable increases in the application of products such as dolomite and lime, which are used in the management of acidic soils and to maintain optimum soil pH," Binns said.

"In 2014-15, an estimated 3 million tonnes of lime were applied to 2.3 million hectares of land across Australia, with the majority used in Western Australia."

Binns said soil enhancers were known to increase the soil's quality over the long term, and were particularly valuable in regions in which soils are susceptible to erosion -- such as in WA.

"Acidic soils are widespread throughout many cropping regions in Western Australia and therefore, liming is required to protect the soil resources over the long term," Binns said.

Overgrazing had contributed to a lower soil quality in recent times, as cows would eat away grass and root systems, leaving soil dry and easily eroded, Binns said. Endit