India starts to pay attention to fertilizers effectiveness

Mahesh Girdhar, President of Crop Nutrients at Deepak Fertilizers and Petrochemicals Corporation, says fertilizer efficiency is more important than the amount used.

India annually needs from 60 to 67 million tons of fertilizers. The total sales volume is about 67.6 million tons. Semi-finished products and raw materials for the production of phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers are usually imported, since there are no own sources in the country. India is the second largest fertilizer consumer in the world after China.

The use of chemical fertilizers, which have a low nutrient use efficiency, has caused the deterioration of Indian soil fertility and significantly reduced the sustainability and productivity of agriculture.

Leaching, volatilization, and denitrification lead to the loss of unused nitrogen, which then pollutes the atmosphere and groundwater. Similarly, potassium and phosphorus accumulate in the soil, which is not consumed by plants.

In order for India’s agriculture to thrive, fertilizers with high nutrient efficiency and a balanced approach to crop nutrition are essential.