Biochar produced with coffee residues can concentrate nutrients, reduce the use of chemical fertilizers, and expand biomass utilization in Acre.
The husk left after coffee processing can gain a strategic function on properties in Acre: returning to the field as a source of nutrients, feeding heat generation systems, or undergoing carbonization to form biochar. The proposal is to reduce expenses with inputs brought from other regions and utilize materials available in the production areas themselves.
The information was released by Embrapa Acre after technical visits conducted in Acrelândia, Cruzeiro do Sul, and Mâncio Lima. The initial survey reached five properties and sought to understand how each region uses coffee farming residues, considering distances, logistical costs, and available structures.
Biochar can reduce dependency on mineral fertilizers
In locations where transportation increases the cost of fertilizers, transforming coffee husk into a soil conditioner can represent an economical alternative. The material contains potassium and, after undergoing controlled carbonization, occupies less volume and concentrates some of the nutrients present in the original biomass.
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Thiago Viana, a researcher at Embrapa Acre, explains that this processing can make agricultural utilization more efficient. Instead of distributing large quantities of unprocessed residue, the producer would use a concentrated material, provided that production follows appropriate technical parameters.
Biochar will not necessarily replace all mineral fertilization, but it can complement nutritional management and reduce the purchase of external inputs. The benefit tends to gain importance in areas where the cost of fertilizer arrival compromises crop profitability.
Residues have different uses depending on the municipality
On the three properties visited in Acrelândia, the short distance between the crops and processing units facilitates the return of the husk directly to the soil. The reduced movement allows the material to be incorporated into the agricultural routine without setting up a complex logistical operation.
In Cruzeiro do Sul and Mâncio Lima, the husk can also be applied in the field, but researchers identified another possibility: using it as biomass to produce the heat necessary for drying the grains. The choice between energy, direct application, and biochar production will depend on the conditions found on each property.
This diversified utilization prevents a single solution from being adopted in different productive realities. The intention is to combine waste availability, input prices, and energy demand to define the most suitable alternative for each producer.
Biochar can also utilize açaí and nuts
The technology is not limited to coffee cultivation. Embrapa Acre considers that açaí seeds and Brazil nut shells can also serve as raw materials, expanding the use of waste from important production chains in the Amazon.
By converting these materials into biochar, it would be possible to reduce the accumulated volume on properties and create a product with potential soil application. The solution would also benefit rural units that work with different crops and generate more than one type of biomass.
However, implementation depends on acquiring equipment for carbonization and preparing the farmers. Without proper operation, cost analysis, and technical support, the process may not achieve the necessary efficiency to justify the investment.
Biochar requires training and technical rigor
The purchase of machines represents only part of the adoption. Producers will also need to learn to control the process and evaluate the characteristics of the final material before using it in cultivated areas.
According to Embrapa Acre, the development of the technology must follow technical criteria to achieve economic and environmental efficiency. This involves checking nutrient concentration, manufacturing costs, and the feasibility of use in each production system.
With adequate structure and new studies, biochar could help reduce waste, utilize regional residues, and alleviate part of the expenses with fertilizers in Acre. The technology combines soil management, energy generation, and agricultural reuse from materials that previously had lower commercial value.
With information from Embrapa
