Young entrepreneur develops ‘organic fertiliser’ to boost crop yield

Pulwama, Jan 04: Extensive trails have demonstrated that a young innovator’s organic fertiliser obtained from waste has a substantial impact in boosting crop yield.
The organic product, Kerah Grow, has been developed by Dr. Ahmer Bashir Shah, a visionary in Agricultural Engineering and Technology.
Dr Ahmer revealed that the patented product, derived from unconventional sources like hair and chicken feathers, has shown remarkable success in not only meeting the nutritional needs of various crops but also substantially enhancing their yield.
Dr. Ahmer added that extensive trials, conducted in collaboration with partners, institutes, and farmers, demonstrated a remarkable 20 to 25 percent increase in crop yield.
In Punjab, the evaluation showcased a per Kanal yield of paddy soaring from 19 to an impressive 30 quintals.
He informed that Kerah-Grow, a Nitrogenous liquid, stands out as a value-added product enriched with micro-nutrients, amino acids, Phosphorus, and Potassium.
Dr. Ahmer emphasised its role in facilitating the transition to organic farming by fulfilling approximately 50 percent of a plant’s nutritional requirements, thereby enabling farmers to reduce chemical fertilizer usage by half.
The organic fertilizer, developed after four years of meticulous research at SKUAST-K’s Division of Basic Sciences and Humanities – Faculty of Horticulture under mentorship of professor Imtiyaz Murtaza, is manufactured at the BB & GG PPL unit in the industrial area Zakura, Srinagar.
Dr. Ahmer, the founding CEO of the start-up, shared that the unit produces 4000 litres per month, benefiting 3000 to 4000 Kanals of land dedicated to organic farming.
Remarkably, Kerah-Grow isn’t limited to enhancing yield; it has also been fortified to improve the quality of fruits, exemplified by its impact on apples, enhancing colour, size, and uniformity.
But Dr. Ahmer’s innovation doesn’t stop here. The visionary innovator and his team have developed a herb-based plant immune stimulator aimed at bolstering the immunity of apple trees against various fungal infections.
Described as a complete Systematic Acquired Resistance (SAR) product derived from herbal extracts, it functions akin to a vaccine. Administered to two and a half-year-old trees, this herbal product boosts immunity manifold, reducing dependence on chemical fungicides. Its efficacy against root rot, alternaria, and wilt diseases has been proven, with ongoing evaluations for scab disease.
In a collaborative move, the manufacturing of this herbal immunity booster has been outsourced to a company based in Kerala.
He said that Since 2024 they have been working with SKUAST-K to connect more than 1000 farmers in Kashmir with their initiative.
“I solemnly thank VC of SKUAST-K Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai who is the mastermind of culminating this startup ecosystem in the university and outside the university with whom innovators like me could contribute to the society in any way like this,” he said, adding that this vision of the VC is materialized into reality through the university’s SKIIE Centre.