Imbalanced use of fertilisers in India: Expert

Ludhiana, Nov 23: The use of fertilizers may have increased from one kg per hectare in 1960-61 to 195 kg per hectare (2004-05), but the NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potash) level is highly imbalanced.

Despite the increase in fertiliser use, integrated nutrient management of the soil has not been taken care of in India with the NPK use being wayward and irregular, International Potash Institute (IPI), Switzerland, Director Dr Hillel Magen said while addressing an international symposium on 'Balanced Use of Fertilisers' at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) here today.

The symposium the first of its kind in a developing country is being jointly organised by IPI and PAU.

Giving details Dr Magen said that the potash use is 150 kg per hectare for every tonne of nitrogen in India as compared to world average of 300 kg of potash per tonne of nitrogen.

Speaking at the symposium Dr M S Brar the organising secretary of the event said that the ratio of N (Nitrogen), P (Phosphorus), K (Potash) is ''wild and wide'' in India. The NPK ratio for the country is N 5.7, P 2.2 and K 1.0, while in Punjab this ratio is 27.8:7.3:1.0 which is not in proportion, he added.

Dr Brar pointed out that integrated nutrient management together with effective crop, soil, water and land management are critical for sustaining agriculture over a long period While giving a warning to the agri scientists and the farming community, Dr Magen said ''Soil is a living entity, it nurtures life by providing food fibre and fuel. If soil dies, who lives'' While pointing out that potassium had a key role in sustaining agricultural productivity, as had nitrogen, Dr Magen said that the potassium---nitrogen partnership is an important component of balanced fertiliser.

UNI