Anantkumar Hegde - Parliament

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

LOK SABHA

UNSTARREDQUESTION NO: 1486

ANSWERED ON: 0.08.2011

FERTILITY OF LAND

(a) whether the fertility of 70 of land, out of the total agricultural land in the country, has reduced;

(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the reasons therefor;

(d) the remedial measures taken by the Government in this regard?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI HARISH RAWAT)

(a) & (b): Compilation of soil test data of last five years from different soil testing laboratories in various States by Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal have revealed that 57 per cent, 51 per cent, and per cent soils are low in available N, P & K respectively. Only marginal changes have been noticed in fertility status as compared to earlier report. However, multi-nutrient deficiencies are surfacing in many intensively cultivated areas; like ink (4), Sulpher (41), (Boron), (33) and Iron (12). The main reason for multi-nutrient deficiencies are imbalance use of fertiliers and insufficient quantity of manures available to implement Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) over larger areas.

(c): Production of foodgrain in the country has increased over the year. However, due to falling factor productivity, the farmers need to apply more fertiliers per hectare to realie the same productivity of crops.

(d): Government is promoting soil test based balanced and udicious use of chemical fertiliers in conunction with organic manures like Farm Yard Manure, Compost, Vermi compost and Green Manure to maintain soil health and its productivity.

National Proect on Management of Soil Health & Fertility (NPMSH&F) has been launched during 2008-0 under which there is provision to set up/strengthen soil testing laboratories, training & demonstrations on balanced use of fertiliers and promotion of INM by promoting use of organic manures, soil amendments and micronutrients.