Higher yields, better quality and lower production costs increase farmers' profit. In IPI-sponsored trials in Madhya Pradesh in India, for each rupee invested in potash, wheat farmers gained an extra five rupees in higher yields. And, because the grain had a better appearance, it also attracted a premium price. With higher yields and income, the purchasing power of people in rural areas improves as well. This attracts other business, creates job opportunities and stimulates rural development.
Balanced fertilization can bring prosperity to farmers and to rural communities.
On a national scale, higher agricultural production can reduce the need for imports, may increase export earnings and, by encouraging a thriving rural economy, help to stem the flow of young people seeking their fortune in major towns and cities. When farmers' incomes rise, they spend their extra money on non-agricultural items, bringing, on average, more than double the value to the national economy. So balanced fertilization brings benefits to the nation as a whole. For many countries of the world, unless higher yields can be achieved on the land already in use, natural areas will be destroyed in an attempt to meet the growing demand for food. Balanced crop nutrition safeguards natural resources by improving efficiency in the use of land and water, and by protecting soil fertility.