Soil health cards slash input costs

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One of the focus areas for increasing farmers’ incomes has been reduction in input costs. Punjab government in two different cycles has analysed 16.70 lakh soil samples and issued more than 24 lakh soil health cards to each and every individual farmer in the state.

Subsequently, on the basis of data analysed block wise soil fertility maps have been prepared in terms of low, medium and high concentration of nutrients like organic carbon, phosphorous, potash, sulphur, soil pH, zinc, iron, manganese, etc. In addition, recommendations and remedial measures have also been prescribed in these maps.

This has resulted in a substantial reduction in the consumption of fertilisers like Urea and Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) by farmers across the state, knowing the precise application of fertilisers to be made to compensate for the nutrient deficiencies. Still, the farmers have reaped bumper harvests.

According to data gathered by the Punjab Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, consumption of Urea and DAP fell by 0.77 lakh metric tonnes and 0.33 lakh metric tonnes in Kharif 2019 as compared to Kharif 2018. Similarly, the consumption of these fertilisers dropped by 1.61 lakh metric tonnes and 0.70 lakh metric tonnes in Rabi 2019-2020 as compared to Rabi 2018-19. Thus, by reducing their consumption of Urea by 2.38 lakh metric tonnes and DAP by 1.03 lakh metric tonnes in the last Kharif and Rabi season, the farmers of Punjab were able to save an estimated Rs 400 crore.

In campaigns aimed at sensitising farmers about the benefits of using the health cards and soil fertility camps, copies of block level maps have been displayed at prominent sites in each village across the state. Regular campaigns have also been launched during 2019-2020 to impress upon farmers the need for judicious use of Urea and DAP.

The Punjab government has also taken strict measures to prevent the sale of spurious seeds and agrochemicals. The result is that not a single incidence of major pest/disease attack in the cotton and other crops has been reported so far i n the state during the last three years. Resultantly, productivity of all the crops is likely to cross all previous records.

The total consumption of pesticides in the state has also shown a decline. During Kharif 2018 the consumption of pesticides was recorded at 3838 MT (Technical Grade), which cost Rs. 2000 crore to the farmers. However, during Kharif, 2019 usage of pesticides reduced by 675 MT (Technical Grade), giving an estimated benefit of Rs. 355 crore to farmers.

(The above content has been received from the Punjab Government under The Tribune Space Marketing Initiative)