Compost is a humus rich dark brown to black material with no foul smell and neutral pH. It is free of any pathogen, weed seeds, glass, metal and wood pieces etc. Total minimum organic carbon is 12% with Nitrogen (0.8%), phosphorus (0.4%), potash (0.4%), moisture 15-25% by weight and C:N ratio less than 20. All heavy metals are within safe limits as per FCO specifications.

Compost adds life to soil by contributing in many ways briefly described below :-

• Soil structure is improved as compost binds soil particles strongly so a better support is provided to standing crop against lodging etc.
• Soil moisture retention is improved as compost creates fine capillaries in the soil for better retention and movement of soil moisture thus helps in reduction of irrigations and its frequency.
• Soil Aeration is also improved as compost creates porosity in soil for sufficient soil aeration which supports root respiration and consequent better nutrient uptake and Fertiliser use efficiency.
• Soil temperature is also moderately regulated by compost because of presence of sufficient moisture & aeration in it .This makes soil comfortable for survival of useful soil flora and fauna especially during extreme winter and summer seasons.
• Nutrients source- Beside rich source of Organic Carbon, Compost is also a good source of all essential plant nutrients especially micro-nutrients.
• Nutrients Retention - Due to good colloidal nature of compost, it retains all macro and micro plant nutrients and helps in reducing their losses due to leaching, volatilization, de-nitrification, fixation etc.
• Soil conditioner - Application of compost neutralizes soil reaction or soil pH which automatically promotes easy availability all plant nutrients in the soil and improve fertilizer use efficiency.
• Soil micro-organisms - All type of Soil micro-organisms flourish in well composted soils as compost is also a food for soil micro organisms, a desirable condition for better soil productivity.
• Soil productivity - Continuous use of compost has the inherent capacity to restore soil health even in barren lands. It has proved very good in rain-fed and de-graded soils where agro-climatic conditions are not very favourable for crop growth. Compost has proved most effective in enhancing soil productivity under all climatic conditions.

Compost is a very useful organic manure without any side-effect. It can be used in all types of crops namely cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits, commercial crops etc. to improve soil health and obtain desired quality produce. Farmers may safely use 5 to 50 bags of compost (50kg)/acre. Dose can be even higher in case of high-value crops like vegetables, medicinal, aromatic and fruits plants. After broadcasting in the field, compost need to be incorporated into upper 15-20 cm soil depth and mixed well with soil preferably before sowing of the crops. Compost can also be added during earthing–up of some crops like vegetables, sugarcane, maize etc. and mixed well with soil. Biofertilisers can also be mixed during compost application.