Use of Fertilisers in India
Fertilisers are an essential input for almost all crops. India being a predominantly agrarian economy further highlights the fact that fertilisers should not only be used correctly but also utilised in a way that it promotes better soil health.
History of fertilisers in India
The fertiliser industry began in India in the year 1906 when Ranipet, Tamil Nadu established a factory.
With this formal beginning, India was able to grow its fertiliser industry and:
- Produce non-nitrogenous fertilisers as well
- Invest in new technologies to produce fertilisers and
- Manufacture various grades of fertilisers too
All of this also means that there was major growth in consumption of fertilisers too. This growth has been chequered - there is much debate on the effects of chemical fertilisers and today, farmers are also adopting different methods and innovations on biofertilisers and working with the ecosystem to deploy fertilisers in a much more effective manner.
Types of fertilisers
Broadly speaking, fertilisers can be classified into organic and chemical.
Organic fertilisers, as the term denotes, are available naturally. There is very little processing done on these types of fertilisers. Some examples of organic fertilisers are:
- Seaweed
- Manure
- Plant & vegetable waste
- Treated sewage
- Worm castings and so on
Chemical fertilisers encompass:
- Nitrogenous fertilisers
- Phosphatic
- Potassic
- NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) complex fertilisers and others
Chemical fertilisers are also used and manufactured in different ratios. For instance, NPK complex fertilisers could be made available as Nitrophosphate with Potash in a 15-15-15 ratio.
In India, six crops account for the largest consumption of fertilisers. These crops are rice, wheat, cotton, sugar cane, rapeseed and mustard.
Emerging trends in fertiliser use
The Centre for Science and Environment brought out a report which stated that chemical fertilisers have been the top choice for farmers to compensate for nutrient deficiency in soil. However, the over-use of these chemical inputs is also causing a slew of problems for farmers. Information and innovation in biofertilisers and soil-friendly options are gaining steady traction in India.
Even in the field of chemical fertilisers new experiments and tests are trying to make a difference. For instance, scientists from University of Hyderabad (UoH) and International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI) have conducted experiments to make a smaller and more stable nano-diammonium phosphate (n-DAP). It will be interesting to see what the future holds but the hope is that these innovations will result in reduction of phosphorus - based fertilisers.
The government is also looking at promoting alternative fertilisers by liberalising the MDA or Market Development Assistance policy. This will mean inclusion of organic waste such as compost and green manure into the subsidy schemes.
Micro-organisms are also a major part in this new trend towards safer fertilisers. Fungi, bacteria and algae are emerging as interesting choices and farmers are realising that they can grow crops like legume plants that have naturally occurring nitrogen to contribute to the soil.
If the use of the right kind of fertiliser helps not just the crops but also has a role to play in the long-term soil health, then surely, making the right choice is the smart thing to do.
