Major Concerns In Indian Agriculture

Presentation  By Secretary (Fertilizers)

National Conference on Agriculture  for Rabi 2014-15


Sales of P&K Fertilizers (DAP,MOP & NPK)

Major Concerns In Indian Agriculture 

• Depleting soil organic matter
• Imbalance in fertilizer use
• Emerging multi-nutrient deficiencies
• Declining nutrient use efficiency
• Declining crop response ratio
• Negative soil nutrient balance

Deteriorating balance in NPK

Deteriorating balance in NPK
The N-P-K ratio worsened acutely in certain states 

NPK Ratios across states in India for 2013 

EAST 

SOUTH 

Bihar 

12.3 : 3.6 : 1 

Andhra Pradesh 

7.1 : 2.8 : 1 

Orissa 

6.2 : 2.4 : 1 

Karnataka 

3.6 : 1.6 : 1 

West Bengal 

2.9 : 1.6 : 1 

Tamil Nadu 

3.9 : 1.5 : 1 

NORTH 

WEST 

Haryana 

61.4 : 18.7 : 1 

Gujarat 

13.2 : 3.4 : 1 

Punjab 

61.7 : 19.2 : 1 

Maharashtra 

3.5 : 1.8 : 1 

Uttar Pradesh 

25.2 : 8.8 : 1 

Rajasthan 

44.9 : 16.5 : 1

Nutrient 
Efficiency 
Cause of low efficiency 
Nitrogen 
30-50 % 
Immobilization, volatilization, denitrification, Leaching  
Phosphorus 
15-20% 
Fixation in soils Al – P, Fe – P, Ca – P 
Potassium 
70-80% 
Fixation in clay - lattices 
Sulphur 
8-10% 
Immobilization, Leaching with water  
Micro nutrients (Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, B) 
1-2% 
Fixation in soils 
Reasons:
The loss of N through leaching and volatilization creates pollution and has environmental implications. 

Major Concerns In  Indian Agriculture 

Declining nutrient use efficiency

Major Concerns In  Indian Agriculture 

Reasons:

• Inadequate and imbalanced fertiliser use
• Increasing multi-nutrient deficiency
• Lack of farmers awareness about balanced plant nutrition
• Poor crop management (Excess fertiliser dose not be the   substitute of poor management) 

Declining Fertilizer Response - Irrigated Areas

Soil Organic Carbon Map 

• Organic carbon status in all the major states is low
• West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka are the major states where organic carbon is low

Over All India Organic Carbon Status 

67% of Indian Soil is having lower organic Carbon 

Source: Coromandel’s Internal Finding
OC test done  - 3.4 lac samples

Suggested Medium term Strategy 

• Use of optimal dose based on soil health status.
• Promotion of Neem-Coated Urea.
• Promotion of Micronutrients.
• Promotion of Organic Fertilizers.
• Promotion of Water Soluble Fertilizer under NHM.

Operational Issues 

• Quality Control & Enforcement of FCO mandated standards.
• Strengthening of the enforcement measures to prevent hoarding/ black marketing/ Smuggling /diversion of subsidised fertilizers to non-agriculture use.
• Operationalisation of mFMS at the retailer level.
• Close Coordination with Suppliers and timely placement of Indent with Railways.
• Collaboration in the Pilot Project for tracking & tracing of fertilizers sales.