Lok Sabha Question No. 2907 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-15
Subject: Promotion of Bio-Fertilizers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: ANIL SHIROLE, JAGDAMBIKA PAL

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2907

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 15 TH   MARCH, 2016

## PROMOTION OF BIO-FERTILIZERS

2907.     SHRI ANIL SHIROLE: SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

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

- (a) the percentage of organic fertilizer provided to farmers as compared to the total quantum of fertilizers consumed in the country;
- (b) whether the Government has launched certain schemes in the recent past to promote use of bio-fertilizers in the country;
- (c) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  funds  allocated  during  11th and 12 th Five  Year Plans under various schemes for the purpose;
- (d) the  details  of  production  of  major  crops  achieved  during  the  last  one  year  using  biofertilizers vis-a-vis chemical fertilizers in the country;
- (e) the steps taken by the Government to popularise the use of bio-fertilizers amongst the farmers in the country; and
- (f) whether the Government has considered the feasibility of establishing community biogas plants so as to promote use of bio-fertilizers, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI MOHANBHAI KUNDARIYA)

- (a): The total  consumption of  organic  fertilizer  is  2298.62  MT  whereas  the  consumption  of chemical fertilizer in term of   total N  P   K consumption of chemical fertilizer is  255.76 lakh  MT during the year 2014-15.
- (b): Government is promoting bio-fertilizers through   various schemes of National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)/ Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP), National Food Security  Mission  (NFSM)  and  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Sciences  (ICAR).  The  pattern  of assistance is given in Annexure I.

(c): The funds allocated during 11 th and 12 th Five Year Plans  is given as:

(

in Rs. Lakhs)

| Scheme                                                         | 11 th Five Year Plan (2007-12)   | 12 th Five Year Plan (2012-17)   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
| National Project on Organic Farming(NPOF)                      | 11838.00                         | 5898.5                           |
| Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)                        | -                                | 300,0000                         |
| Net work Project on Soil Biodiversity Bio fertilizer- ICAR     | 776.52                           | 1763.65( BE)                     |
| Micro-nutrient s and Soil ameliorates (Bio- fertilizers)- NFSM | 833.02                           | 1657.71                          |

(d): Studies  conducted  by  ICAR  have  shown  that  bio-fertilizers  can  improve  yield  in leguminous crops (i.e. pulses) by use of rhizobium and in cereals and oil seeds and horticulture crops  by  azotobacter.  They  indicate  that  bio-fertilizer  can  improve  crop  yield  by  10-25%  and supplement costly chemical fertilizers (N, P) by nearly 20-25% in most of the cases when used along  with  chemical  fertilizers.  Further,  study  show  that  when  bio-fertilizers  are  applied  with compost @5t/ha or vermicompost @2t/ha, fertilizer saving is almost 50%.

(e): Under  National  Mission  for  Sustainable  Agriculture  (NMSA),  the  National  Centre  of Organic  Farming,  Ghaziabad  is  conducting  various  extension  and  publicity  activities  like Exhibitions, Radio Talks, TV Programmes, and distribution of literature on Bio-fertilizers. NCOF publishes  Bio-Fertilizer  News  letter  bi-annually  as  well  as  Organic  Farming  News  Letter Quarterly    in Hindi and English languages.  In addition, various books on production and use of biofertilizers  have been  published in various languages  for distribution to the farming community. Radio jingle on promotion of organic agriculture was broadcasted on four different FM Radio Stations at Delhi, Bangalore, Nagpur and Lucknow. The ICAR also imparts training, organizes FLDs etc. to educate farmers on the use of biofertiliser.

(f): (i)  Government  is  promoting  soil  test  based  integrated  nutrient  management  through conjunctive  use  of  both  inorganic  and  organic  sources  of  plant  nutrients.  Bio-fertilizers  are promoted for mobilizing both macro and micro nutrients in soil in both organic agriculture as well as in conventional agriculture. Their main function is to fix the nitrogen in root nodules, for seed inoculation and to promote plant growth hormones.

ii) Biogas is  methane (CH4) produced from biomass through anaerobic process of decomposition.

| Component                                                                                                                                            | Pattern of assistance                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| National Mission of Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)-Organic & INM Component of Soil Health Management(SHM)                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| 1. Setting up of State of art liquid/ carrier based Biofertilizer/ Biopesticide units                                                                | 100% Assistance to State Govt/Govt. Agencies upto a maximum limit of Rs.160.00 lakh /unit and 25% of cost limited to Rs.40 lakh/unit for individuals/ private agencies through NABARD as capital investment of 200 TPA production capacity |
| 2. Setting up of Bio-fertilizer and Organic fertilizer testing Quality Control Laboratory (BOQCL) or Strengthening of existing Laboratory under FCO. | Assistance up to maximum limit of Rs. 85 lakh for new laboratory and up to a maximum limit of Rs. 45 lakh for strengthening of existing infrastructure to State Government Laboratory under Agriculture or Horticulture Department.        |
| 3. Promotion of Organic Inputs on farmer's field (Manure, Vermi-compost, Bio-Fertilizers Liquid / solid, Waste compost, Herbal extracts etc.)        | 50 % of cost subject to a limit of Rs. 5000/- per ha and Rs. 10,000 per beneficiary. Propose to cover 1 million ha area.                                                                                                                   |

Annexure I Pattern of assistance for promotion of biofertiliser/organic Inputs

| Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana - (PKVY) one of the sub scheme of NMSA- Adoption of organic farming through cluster approach under Participatory Guarantee System (PGS)   | Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana - (PKVY) one of the sub scheme of NMSA- Adoption of organic farming through cluster approach under Participatory Guarantee System (PGS)   | Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana - (PKVY) one of the sub scheme of NMSA- Adoption of organic farming through cluster approach under Participatory Guarantee System (PGS)   | Under PKVY scheme- Fifty or more farmers will form a cluster and their 50 acres of land will be brought under Organic Farming.   | Under PKVY scheme- Fifty or more farmers will form a cluster and their 50 acres of land will be brought under Organic Farming.   | Under PKVY scheme- Fifty or more farmers will form a cluster and their 50 acres of land will be brought under Organic Farming.       |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| (Component of Guidelines) 2.2                                                                                                                                              | Integrated Manure Management                                                                                                                                               | Integrated Manure Management                                                                                                                                               | Integrated Manure Management                                                                                                     | Integrated Manure Management                                                                                                     | Integrated Manure Management                                                                                                         |
|                                                                                                                                                                            | Component                                                                                                                                                                  | I st year year                                                                                                                                                             | II nd year III rd (amount in Rs.)                                                                                                | II nd year III rd (amount in Rs.)                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                      |
| 2.21                                                                                                                                                                       | Liquid Bio-fertilizer consortia (Nitrogen fixing/ Phosphate Solubilizing/ potassium mobilizing bio- fertilizer) @Rs.500/acre x 50                                          | 25000                                                                                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                                                | 0                                                                                                                                | Each farmer member will be assisted for procuring liquid bi-fertilizer and its application to soil/seed to increase crop production. |
| 2.2.2                                                                                                                                                                      | Liquid Biopesticides (Trichoderma viridae, Pseudomonas, fluorescens, Matarhizium, Beaviourie bassiana, Pacelomyces, verticillium) 2 Rs.500/ acre x 50                      | 0                                                                                                                                                                          | 25000                                                                                                                            | 0                                                                                                                                | Each farmer member will be assisted for procuring and application of liquid bio pesticides for suppression of disease in crop plants |

## National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP):

Has  launched  a  scheme  for  increasing  production  and  productivity  of  oilseed  crops  in  the country. The expenditure on subsidies  and pattern of financial assistance between the Centre and State Share in the ratio of  90:10 for North East and Hilly states  and it is    60: 40 for other States.   Financial assistance is being provided for different type of components including biofertilisers, Supply of Rhizobium culture/Phosphate Solubilising Bacteria (PSB)/ Zinc Solubilising Bacteria (ZSB)/ Azatobacter/ Mycorrhiza and vermi compost.

## National Food Security Mission (NFSM):

Under NFSM, financial assistance is provided for promotion of Bio-Fertilizer (Rhizobium/PSB) @50% of  the cost limited to Rs.300 per ha.

## Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY):

Under  RKVY,  State  Governments  have  flexibility  and  autonomy  in  the  process  of  selection, planning, approval and execution of schemes including Organic Farming, as per their priorities. Accordingly,  cost  of  projects  under  Organic  Farming  are  approved  by  respective  State  Level Sanctioning Committees.

## Indian Council of Agricultural  Sciences (ICAR):

Indian Council of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR),  Pusa,  under  Network  project  on Soil Biodiversity-Biofertiliser being  operated in 14 different states  has developed improved and efficient  strains   of  biofertiliser  specific  to  different  crops  and  soil  types.  Liquid  Biofertiliser technology with  high shelf life has also been developed.

********