Lok Sabha Question No. 4748 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-28
Subject: Effect of Usage of Chemical Fertilizers
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Smt. Manju Sharma

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4748 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 28.03.2025

## Effect of Usage of Chemical Fertilizers

## 4748:   SMT. MANJU SHARMA:

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

- (a) the  quantity  of  chemical  fertilizers  made  available  in  Rajasthan  during  the last three years;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  undertaken  any  research  or  collected  any data/information to find out the damage caused to agricultural crop/land due to the increasing use of chemical fertilizers in the country;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  minimize  the  use  of chemical fertilizers to  protect our environment; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS

## (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

- (a): The  availability  of  fertilizers  in  the  State  of  Rajasthan  during  the  last  three financial year is indicated in the table below:-

## <Figures in LMT>

| FINANCIAL YEAR 2023-24   | FINANCIAL YEAR 2023-24   | FINANCIAL YEAR 2023-24   | FINANCIAL YEAR 2023-24   |
|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
| PRODUCT                  | REQUIREMENT              | AVAILABILITY             | SALES                    |
| UREA                     | 24.28                    | 29.23                    | 25.39                    |
| DAP                      | 8.95                     | 9.80                     | 9.37                     |
| MOP                      | 0.23                     | 0.20                     | 0.15                     |
| NPKS                     | 1.11                     | 1.40                     | 1.08                     |

## <Figures in LMT>

| FINANCIAL YEAR 2022-23   | FINANCIAL YEAR 2022-23   | FINANCIAL YEAR 2022-23   | FINANCIAL YEAR 2022-23   |
|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
| PRODUCT                  | REQUIREMENT              | AVAILABILITY             | SALES                    |
| UREA                     | 21.50                    | 27.91                    | 25.17                    |
| DAP                      | 7.40                     | 9.70                     | 8.47                     |
| MOP                      | 0.30                     | 0.18                     | 0.14                     |
| NPKS                     | 0.95                     | 0.85                     | 0.72                     |

<Figures in LMT>

| FINANCIAL YEAR 2021-22   | FINANCIAL YEAR 2021-22   | FINANCIAL YEAR 2021-22   | FINANCIAL YEAR 2021-22   |
|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
| PRODUCT                  | REQUIREMENT              | AVAILABILITY             | SALES                    |
| UREA                     | 21.00                    | 25.43                    | 22.59                    |
| DAP                      | 7.70                     | 6.59                     | 6.10                     |
| MOP                      | 0.30                     | 0.31                     | 0.24                     |
| NPKS                     | 0.63                     | 1.23                     | 1.20                     |

## Note:  Primary Indicator of comfortable availability: Availability > Requirement Secondary Indicator of comfortable availability: Availability > Sales

(b) & (c):  Yes. Investigations carried out under All India Coordinated Research Project on  'Long  Term  Fertilizer  Experiments'  by  ICAR  over  five  decades  at  fixed  sites  have indicated that continuous use of nitrogenous fertilizer alone had deleterious effects on soil health and crop productivity showing deficiencies of other major and micro nutrients. Even with recommended doses of NPK and more, deficiency of micro and secondary nutrients has become a yield limiting factor over the years. There is also a possibility of nitrate contamination in groundwater above the permissible limit of 10 mg NO3-N/L due to excessive/over-use of nitrogenous fertilizers, particularly in light textured soils that has consequences on human/animal health if used for drinking purposes.

The ICAR suggests 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.

(d) & (e):  The Government of India is advocating the concept of balanced and judicious use of fertilizers on Soil Health Card based recommendation. Under National Project on Soil Health & Fertility Scheme, the Soil Health Cards (SHCs) are used to improve soil health and to ensure judicious use of fertilizer including secondary and micro nutrients in conjunction with organic manures & bio-fertilizers. SHCs provide information on nutrient status of their soil and recommendation on appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility.

Government  has  been  promoting  organic  farming in the country through Paramparagat  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (PKVY)  in  all  the  States/UTs  other-than  North Eastern  States,  and  Mission  Organic  Value  Chain  Development  for  North  Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) exclusively for North Eastern region.

Under  PKVY,  assistance  of  Rs.  31,500  per  ha  for  a  period  of  three  years  is provided for promotion of organic farming to cover different components like training & capacity building, data management, PGS (Participatory Guarantee System) Certification, value addition, marketing and publicity. Out of this, the assistance of Rs. 15,000 per ha for a period of three years is provided to farmers through DBT for onfarm /off -farm organic inputs.

Under MOVCDNER scheme, assistance of Rs. 46,500/ha for 3 years is provided for  creation  of  Farmer  Producer  Organization,  support  to  farmers  for  organic  inputs, quality seeds/ planting material and training, hand holding and certification.  Out of this, assistance of Rs. 32500/ ha for 3 years is provided to farmers (Rs. 15,000 as DBT to the  farmers  for  off  -farm  /on  -farm  organic  inputs  and  Rs.  17,500  for  the  planting material).

Further,  The  scheme  on  Natural  Farming,  i.e.,  National  Mission  on  Natural Farming (NMNF), as approved by the Union Cabinet on 25th November 2024 focuses on the adoption of natural farming through package of practices such as use on-farm produced  natural  inputs  such  as  Beejamrit,  Jeevamrit,  Dashparni,  Neemastra,  etc., multi-cropping systems, biomass mulching, etc. thereby reducing the dependence from externally purchased chemical inputs and reduce the input cost for cultivation. For easy availability  of  natural  farming  inputs  for  the  farmers,  10,000  need-based  Bio-input Resource Centres are envisaged to be set up under the Mission.

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