Nutrient Management in Indian Agriculture with Special Reference to Nutrient Mining

Abstract

The necessity of increasing food production to meet the demand of the ever-increasing population in India hardly requires any over-emphasis. Estimates suggest that at the current level of production (263 million tonne, Mt), an additional 5 Mt food grain has to be added each year to the national food basket for the next decade or so to feed the increasing population. The total area under cultivation remained more or less constant (at 140-142 Mha) over the past several decades, and there are indications that the agricultural lands are gradually being diverted to accommodate increased urbanization and industrialization. It is unlikely that sizable additional area will be brought in under cultivation in the foreseeable future. Therefore, there is no other viable option than increasing crop productivity per unit area, to meet the future production goals.