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Knowledge centre for MBA students. |
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Fertiliser and Agriculture: Some Indian Facts Dr Kala Krishnan Being the largest sector in India, agriculture has been
the main source of livelihood for over 60 per
cent of the population - directly or indirectly - and
its contribution to National Income along with allied occupations, such
as, animal husbandry, forestry, fishery, pottery etc. is around
30 per cent. Thus, agriculture frames the backbone of the Indians and
Indian economy. At the post independent era, the vital goal of the government was to achieve self sufficiency in food production. Thus, the price level of fertilisers was controlled by the government to make it reachable to the farmers. Due to this encouraged government policy towards agriculture, India witnessed higher production coupled with superior productivity in the agricultural sector, which in turn led to the Green Revolution. The agrochemicals industry constitutes 23 per cent of the
total inputs of the agriculture sector. It is generally well recognised
that fertilisers act as catalysts in inducing farmers
to adopt other improved management practices, apart from their direct
effect in raising agricultural production. With the subsidy-support
the demand for fertilisers consistently raised,
also the subsidy bill. The accepted ratio of three major nutrients N:P:K was
4:2:1. NPK Ratio in India since 1991-92 is shown in Table-1 below which
indicates the depletion in the required nutrients of the soil, due to the
imbalance in the usage of fertilisers, thanks to the deregulation of
phosphatic fertilisers in 1992. However, based
on increased subsidies by the government, the nutrients
consumption is expected to go up in such a fashion to alter the NPK ratio to
at least 7:2.4:1, which depends upon monsoon, of course. NPK Ratio in India Year NPK Ratio 1991-92 5.9: 2.4: 1 1992-93 9.5: 3.2: 1 1993-94 9.7: 2.9: 1 1994-95 8.4: 2.6: 1 1995-96 8.6: 2.5: 1 Source: Business India, August 12 - 25, 1996, p.85,
Express Investment Week, January 29 - February 4, 1996, p.26 and Economic
Times, July 8, 1996, p.V. Note: NPK Ratio = Nitrogen: Phosphatic : Potassic Demand - Supply Scenario Government of India constituted working group on
fertilisers for the Eighth Plan period indicate a supply gap of 42 per cent
for nitrogenous fertilisers and 22.6 per cent for phosphate in Southern
Region of India, as compared to the corresponding all India figures of 13.5
per cent for nitrogen and 29.6 per cent for phosphatics. India is not sufficient in respect of any of the three
nutrients viz, N, P and K. While the entire requirement of potash are met
through imports, part of N and P requirements are also met through imports.
In 1995-96, the indigenous production of N and P was in the order of 82 per
cent and 72 per cent respectively of consumption, leaving the rest to be met
through imports only. This situation is not likely to change in
the foreseeable future. Currently there are 58 large size fertiliser units in
India manufacturing a wide
range of nitrogenous and phosphatic/complex
fertilisers. Besides, there are about 80 small and
medium scale units producing
single super phosphate. Bio-Fertiliser : An Alternate Once agriculture was linked
with nature and culture. However, this
scenario has undergone a drastic change whereby agriculture
has become a commercial proposition. But, how far this
commercial venture is beneficial for a nation in the long-run is a
serious concern. Though agricultural production rose, thanks to
high-yielding chemical fertilizers. But, this has led to
the continuous export of fertility of the soil,
yielding great amount of ecological disastrous - soil
damage, health problems, high irrigation demand etc.
In this context, it becomes inevitable
that farming sector has to rely much upon
bio-fertilizers rather than chemical fertilizers, in future. Biofertilisers are new generation, cost
effective and renewable sources of plant
nutrients to supplement chemical fertilizers.
Biofertilisers include selective
micro-organisms like Bacteria, Fungi and Algae.
These micro-organisms are capable of
fixing atmosphere nitrogen or converting insoluble phosphates
in the soil into an available form. Research findings have established that up to
800 gms of Biofertilisers applied to one acre will
fix 10 kg of nitrogen in the soil, which is equivalent to the
nitrogen content in half a bag of Urea. Also,
800 gms of another type of Bacteria, viz.
Phosphobacteria, can convert insoluble phosphates in
the soil and make available about 5 kg of phosphate per acre to the crop. Biofertilizers also secrete growth-promoting substances
and improve soil properties by leaving organic residues. Biofertilisers
are not only cost-effective but also
environment-friendly and are from a renewable source of energy. There is vast
scope for production and marketing of Biofertilisers in India. |
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