Lok Sabha Question No. 307 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-22
Subject: Soil Health and Agricultural Productivity
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Sribharat Mathukumilli

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 307

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 22 nd  JULY, 2025

## SOIL HEALTH AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY

307. SHRI SRIBHARAT MATHUKUMILLI:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  recent  studies on  the  status of soil health  inthe  country,  including  specific  assessments  for  agro-ecological  zones  in Andhra Pradesh;
- (b)  if  so,  the  details  of  key  findings  regarding  soil  fertility  trends,  organic  carbon depletion,  micronutrient  deficiencies  and  their  impact  on  agricultural  output  in  major crops;
- (c)  whether  the  decline  in  soil  health  has  affected  input  efficiency,  long-term  yield sustainability or resilience to climate variability; and
- (d)  the  steps  being  taken  to  enhance  the  effectiveness  of  the  Soil  Health  Card scheme,  promote  region-specific  soil  restoration  practices  and  integrate  soil  health goals within PM-KISAN, natural farming, and agri-extension frameworks?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी        (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

- (a) to (c): Government  has  conducted  two  studies  on  the  status  of  Soil  Health  & Fertility Scheme in the country including agro-ecological zones in Andhra Pradesh. The key findings of these studies are as under:
-  National  Productivity  Council  (NPC),  New  Delhi  carried  out  a  study  'Soil  Testing Infrastructure for Faster Delivery of Soil Health Card in India' in 2017 in 76 districts of 19 States covering 170 soil testing labs and 1700 farmers. As a result of application of fertilizer and micro-nutrients as per the recommendations on the Soil Health Cards

(SHCs), it was reported that there has been a decrease of use of chemical fertilizer application  in  the  range  of  8-10%.  Overall  5-6%  increase  in  the  yield  of  crops  was reported due to application of fertilizer and micro nutrients as per recommendations in SHC.

-  An impact study of Soil Health & Fertility Scheme (November 2017) was conducted by National Institute of  Agricultural Extension  Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad. As per report, about  62.8% of the farmers use fertilizers according to the recommendations  on  the  SHC  (out  of  3184  farmers  in  199  villages).    The  costs reduced per  acre  by  4  to  10  %  due  to  low  fertilizer  use.  Crop  yields  increased  for majority  of  the  crops,  although  moderately.  Two-thirds  of  the  sample  farmers indicated that SHC is beneficial which an encouraging fact.  Overall, paddy farmers reduced use of urea by 9%, Diammonium Phosphate (DAP)/Single Super Phosphate by  7%,  but  increased  use  of  Potassium  by  20%.  There  was  substantial  decline  in fertilizer use especially urea and DAP in paddy and cotton resulted in decreased cost of cultivation per unit area.

(d): States  are  linking  SHCs  to  other  beneficiary  linked  schemes  also  like,  National Mission  of  Edible  Oil  Oilseeds  and  National  Mission  on  Natural  Farming,  to  give  farmers nutrient  status  baseline  data  of  soil.  Crop-wise  fertilizer  recommendations  is  given  under SHC  to  promote  region specific soil nutrient restoration. Agri-extension worker like Agricultural  Technology  Management  Agency  (ATMA),  Krishi  Vigyan  Kendras  are  also involved in knowledge dissemination to farmers about SHC recommendations.

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