Lok Sabha Question No. 2772 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-17
Subject: Damage Caused due to Increased Use of Chemical Fertilizers
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Sisir Kumar Adhikari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF FERTILIZERS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2772 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 17.03.2023

Damage caused due to Increased use of Chemical Fertilizers

## 2772: SHRI SISIR KUMAR ADHIKARI:

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has  conducted research or gathered any datalinformation to ascertain the damage being caused to agricultural cropslland due to increased use of chemical fertilizers in the country; any
- (b)
- (c) whether the 24.9 percent decline in allocations towards fertilizers subsidy under BE 2023 as against RE 2022 will create an impact on the accessibility of fertilizers to farmers;
- (d) if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government has taken any measures to mitigate the rising cost of raw materials for non-urea fertilizers such as phosphoric acid and ammonia thereto; and
- if so, the details thereof and if not; the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA)

(a) & (b): There is no harmful effect of chemical fertilizers with  recommended doses and their judicious use However , imbalance use of fertilizers may lead to nutritional disorders in   plants. The study conducted by Indian Council of Agricultural Research under All India Coordinated Research Project on 'Long-Term Fertilizer  Experiments' in different soil  types   (fixed   locations) inder dominant cropping systems has revealed that even in plots  receiving recommended dose of NPK fertilizers or more may result in deficiency of micro and secondary nutrients after few years affecting soil health and crop productivity: The limiting nutrients do not allow the full expression of other  nutrients, thereby; lowering the fertilizer responses and crop productivity:

ICAR suggests soil test based nutrient management through conjunctive use of both inorganic and organic sources (manure; bio-fertilizers etc ) of plant nutrients to overcome indiscriminatelover use of fertilizers. In addition; split application and placement of fertilizers, use of slow releasing N-fertilizers and nitrification inhibitors, growing leguminous crops and use of Resource Conservation Technologies (RCTs) are also advocated:

The ICAR also imparts training, organizes Front Line Demonstrations (FLDs) etc. to educate farmers on all these aspects

- (c) & (d): The funds provided in Union Budget 2023-24 at Budget Estimate (BE) stage for fertilizer subsidy is more than the BE 2022-23. In case of any additional requirement for funds, Department of Fertilizers will approach Ministry of Finance at appropriate time.
- (e) & (): In view of the ongoing international prices of finished P&K fertilizers as well as its raw materials, Gol, under its Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) scheme has increased the P&K fertilizers  subsidy over a period of time. The per kg subsidy rates for nutrients viz N, P, Kand S under NBS scheme is as under:

|    | Nutrients   |   Kg of Nutrient) (from 01.04.21 to 19.05.21) |   NBS (Rs: Per Kg of Nutrient (from 20.5.21 to 31.3.22) ** |   NBS (Rs. Per Kg of Nutrient) (from 01.04.22 to 30.09.22) |   Kg of Nutrient) (from 01.10.22 to 31.3.23) |
|----|-------------|-----------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
| 1_ | N           |                                        18.789 |                                                     18.789 |                                                      91.96 |                                        98.02 |
| 2. | P           |                                        14.888 |                                                     45.323 |                                                      72.74 |                                        66.93 |
| 3. | K           |                                        10.116 |                                                     10.116 |                                                      25.31 |                                        23.65 |
| 4_ | S           |                                         2.374 |                                                      2.374 |                                                       6.94 |                                         6.12 |

A special one-time package with additional subsidy has been provided (effective from 01.10.2021 to 31.3.2022) for DAP at Rs.8769/MT and 3 most consumed NPK fertilizers (10.26.26, 20.20:0.13 and 12.32:16) at Rs. 2O0O/MT for each grade in order to make P&K fertilizers available at affordable prices to the farmers: