Lok Sabha Question No. 2081 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-20
Subject: Reducing use of Fertilizers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Dharambir Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2081

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  DECEMBER, 2022

## REDUCING USE OF FERTILIZERS

2081. SHRI DHARAMBIR SINGH:
2. Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ षि एवं षकसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:
3. (a)  whether  the  Government  has  contemplated  any  plan  to  use  other  fertilizers  with chemicals in place of chemical fertilizers in the fields and if so, the details thereof;
4. (b) whether the overuse of chemical fertilizers is causing increase in arsenic in fields and if so, the methods to prevent it; and
5. (c)  the  overuse  of  chemical  fertilizers  is  affecting  exports  and  if  so,  the  reduction  in exports in last five years, crop-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

क ृ षि एवं षकसान कल्याण मंत्री (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a):  The  Government  of  India  encourages  the  soil  test  based  balanced  and  integrated nutrient  management  through  conjunctive  use  of  both  inorganic  and  organic  sources (manure,  biofertilizers  etc.)  of  plant  nutrients with  4R  approach  i.e.,  right  quantity,  right time,  right  mode  and  right  type  of  fertilizer to  reduce  the  consumption  of  chemical fertilizers.  In  addition,  growing  leguminous  crops  and  use  of  Resource  Conservation Technologies (RCTs) are also advocated. The ICAR imparts training to educate farmers on all these aspects as and when required.
- (b): As such, there is no adverse effect of chemical fertilizers listed in FCO, 1985 with balanced and judicious use. Arsenic (As) contamination is generally geogenic in nature.

ICAR suggests  following  remedial  measures  to  minimize  the  effect  of  arsenic  in  soilplant system.

- (i) Boro rice  requiring more groundwater should be replaced with other suitable and less water demanding crops.
- (ii) Growing of  relatively  arsenic tolerant   rice  varieties  Muktashri  (IET  21845)  ,  IET 1444, G otrabhog , Nayanmoni ,  and Shatabdi.
- (iii) Direct Seeded Rice using drum seeder and seed drill
- (iv) Preference to growing non-edible and leguminous crops during dry season.
- (v) Storing  of  Arsenic  contaminated  groundwater  in  ponds  and  subsequent  dilution with rainwater.
- (vi) Conjunctive use of ground and surface water.
- (vii) Recharge of groundwater with harvested rainwater, free of arsenic.
- (viii) Increased use of FYM and other manures + green manure crops.
- (ix) Application of appropriate amendments (zinc/iron salts as and wherever applicable).
- (x) Cost-effective  phytoremediation  employing  hyper-accumulating  plant/microbial  spp. like brake fern ( Pteris vittata ), water hyacinth ( Eichornia crassipes ), Blue Green Algae (BGA),  and  weed  species  (viz, Lantana camara , Enhydra sp., Filmbristylis sp., Croton sparsiflora etc.)   hold  promise  in  detoxification  of  arsenic  from  soils  and  aquatic systems.
- (xi) Capacity building and awareness programmes.

(c):  Maximum  Residue  Level  (MRL)  of  chemicals  needs  to  be  maintained  as  per  the importing  countries  requirement.  However,  there  is  no  report  on  affect  the  agricultural export due to overuse of chemical fertilizers. A statement showing  product wise quantity exported to the world by India is at Annexure I.

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Annexure-I

| India's Export to World: APEDA Products Unit:   | India's Export to World: APEDA Products Unit:   | India's Export to World: APEDA Products Unit:   | India's Export to World: APEDA Products Unit:   | India's Export to World: APEDA Products Unit:   | India's Export to World: APEDA Products Unit:   | India's Export to World: APEDA Products Unit:   | India's Export to World: APEDA Products Unit:   | India's Export to World: APEDA Products Unit:   | India's Export to World: APEDA Products Unit:   | India's Export to World: APEDA Products Unit:   | India's Export to World: APEDA Products Unit:   | India's Export to World: APEDA Products Unit:   | India's Export to World: APEDA Products Unit:   | India's Export to World: APEDA Products Unit:   | India's Export to World: APEDA Products Unit:   |
|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
|                                                 |                                                 |                                                 |                                                 |                                                 |                                                 |                                                 |                                                 |                                                 |                                                 | 2020-21                                         | 2020-21                                         | 2020-21                                         | Qty In MT, Value in Rs. Crore &US$ Mill 2021-22 | Qty In MT, Value in Rs. Crore &US$ Mill 2021-22 | Qty In MT, Value in Rs. Crore &US$ Mill 2021-22 |
| Product                                         | Qty                                             | Rs. Crore                                       | US$ Mill                                        | Qty                                             | Rs. Crore                                       | US$ Mill                                        | Qty                                             | Rs. Crore                                       | US$ Mill                                        | Qty                                             | Rs. Crore                                       | US$ Mill                                        | Qty                                             | Rs. Crore                                       | US$ Mill                                        |
| Non Basmati Rice                                | 8648488.58                                      | 22967.82                                        | 3564.39                                         | 7599674.1                                       | 21185.28                                        | 3047.83                                         | 5040707.72                                      | 14364.66                                        | 2014.6                                          | 13095130.21                                     | 35476.61                                        | 4799.91                                         | 17262235.08                                     | 45652.35                                        | 6124.27                                         |
| Basmati Rice                                    | 4056758.62                                      | 26870.17                                        | 4169.48                                         | 4414584.16                                      | 32804.3                                         | 4722.52                                         | 4454656.69                                      | 31025.88                                        | 4330.69                                         | 4630463.14                                      | 29849.89                                        | 4018.71                                         | 3948161.03                                      | 26416.54                                        | 3540.4                                          |
| Wheat                                           | 322790.14                                       | 624.37                                          | 96.72                                           | 226224.99                                       | 424.95                                          | 60.54                                           | 217354.23                                       | 439.14                                          | 61.84                                           | 2088487.66                                      | 4037.6                                          | 549.7                                           | 7239366.78                                      | 15840.34                                        | 2121.75                                         |
| Maize                                           | 705513.84                                       | 1228.46                                         | 190.34                                          | 1051855.92                                      | 1872.51                                         | 270.3                                           | 370066.09                                       | 1019.3                                          | 142.78                                          | 2879202.93                                      | 4675.78                                         | 634.85                                          | 3690469.1                                       | 7615.42                                         | 1020.88                                         |
| Guargum                                         | 494101.27                                       | 4169.56                                         | 646.94                                          | 513211.87                                       | 4707.05                                         | 676.47                                          | 381880.14                                       | 3261.6                                          | 456.91                                          | 234871.29                                       | 1949.07                                         | 262.99                                          | 321394.92                                       | 3334.77                                         | 446.77                                          |
| Pulses                                          | 180193.85                                       | 1473.26                                         | 228.32                                          | 289617.95                                       | 1822.58                                         | 263.04                                          | 235699.03                                       | 1533.74                                         | 214.89                                          | 296169.79                                       | 2116.69                                         | 284.26                                          | 410375.86                                       | 2834.29                                         | 379.75                                          |
| Groundnuts                                      | 504019.2                                        | 3386.3                                          | 524.82                                          | 489187.11                                       | 3298.33                                         | 473.81                                          | 664442.92                                       | 5096.39                                         | 711.41                                          | 638582.92                                       | 5381.61                                         | 727.4                                           | 514163.87                                       | 4697.1                                          | 629.26                                          |
| Fresh Onions                                    | 1588985.72                                      | 3088.82                                         | 479.32                                          | 2183766.42                                      | 3468.87                                         | 498.17                                          | 1149896.84                                      | 2320.7                                          | 324.2                                           | 1578016.57                                      | 2826.53                                         | 378.49                                          | 1537496.85                                      | 3432.16                                         | 460.56                                          |
| Other Fresh Vegetables                          | 739055.09                                       | 1882.32                                         | 292.03                                          | 735743.1                                        | 2069.66                                         | 296.19                                          | 754007.57                                       | 2064.77                                         | 289.38                                          | 682085.8                                        | 2143.2                                          | 289.12                                          | 770233.22                                       | 2160.74                                         | 290.15                                          |
| Other Fresh Fruits                              | 321157.55                                       | 1443.76                                         | 224.05                                          | 372213.73                                       | 1834.57                                         | 262.38                                          | 496577.66                                       | 2065.82                                         | 288.12                                          | 609612.93                                       | 2233.31                                         | 301.99                                          | 761031.2                                        | 2900.7                                          | 388.41                                          |
| Fruits & Vegetables Seeds                       | 14463.13                                        | 670.9                                           | 104.03                                          | 16151.15                                        | 849.23                                          | 122.76                                          | 14796.09                                        | 723.44                                          | 101.51                                          | 17177.18                                        | 808.4                                           | 108.83                                          | 11549.89                                        | 750.67                                          | 100.79                                          |
| Fresh Grapes                                    | 188221.18                                       | 1899.95                                         | 294.59                                          | 246133.77                                       | 2335.25                                         | 334.78                                          | 193690.51                                       | 2176.87                                         | 298.04                                          | 246107.37                                       | 2298.45                                         | 313.62                                          | 263075.62                                       | 2302.16                                         | 305.68                                          |
| Floriculture                                    | 20703.46                                        | 507.31                                          | 78.73                                           | 19726.56                                        | 571.41                                          | 82                                              | 16949.39                                        | 541.61                                          | 75.9                                            | 15695.29                                        | 575.98                                          | 77.84                                           | 23597.22                                        | 771.41                                          | 103.5                                           |
| Fresh Mangoes                                   | 49180.48                                        | 382.34                                          | 59.28                                           | 46510.22                                        | 406.5                                           | 60.26                                           | 49658.68                                        | 400.21                                          | 56.11                                           | 21033.56                                        | 271.88                                          | 36.22                                           | 27872.77                                        | 327.45                                          | 44.07                                           |
| Millet                                          | 156274.02                                       | 370.07                                          | 57.36                                           | 219402.5                                        | 542.5                                           | 77.99                                           | 129726.1                                        | 433.62                                          | 60.56                                           | 147501.08                                       | 443.17                                          | 59.82                                           | 159332.15                                       | 479.58                                          | 64.33                                           |
| Others (Betel Leaves & Nuts)                    | 13185.92                                        | 137.52                                          | 21.34                                           | 17364.51                                        | 174.27                                          | 25.04                                           | 14003.48                                        | 137.13                                          | 19.22                                           | 10151.6                                         | 137.79                                          | 18.67                                           | 14056.58                                        | 215.23                                          | 28.85                                           |
| Walnuts                                         | 3595.69                                         | 127.21                                          | 19.72                                           | 1874.86                                         | 66.77                                           | 9.61                                            | 1648.22                                         | 52.78                                           | 7.36                                            | 1069.66                                         | 29.79                                           | 4.03                                            | 2482.55                                         | 73.98                                           | 9.92                                            |
| Other Cereals                                   | 1344.02                                         | 3.63                                            | 0.56                                            | 5750.05                                         |                                                 |                                                 | 1690.4                                          | 4.53                                            |                                                 |                                                 | 7.78                                            | 1.05                                            | 2227.41                                         | 7.22                                            | 0.97                                            |
|                                                 | 18,008,031.76                                   |                                                 |                                                 |                                                 | 11.74                                           | 1.7                                             |                                                 |                                                 | 0.63                                            | 2425.31                                         |                                                 |                                                 | 36,959,122.10                                   |                                                 |                                                 |
| Total                                           |                                                 | 71,233.77                                       | 11,052.02                                       | 18,448,992.97                                   | 78,445.77                                       | 11,285.39                                       | 14,187,451.76                                   | 67,662.19                                       | 9,454.15                                        | 27,193,784.29                                   | 95,263.53                                       | 12,867.50                                       |                                                 | 119,812.11                                      | 16,060.31                                       |

Source: DGCIS