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हिन्दी — Read in HindiInputs: fertiliser, seed, water, credit and insurance
What a farmer needs to grow a crop, and the policies that supply it.
Showing 2 of 4 articles, those that changed from 1 to 30 June 2026.Show all
Fertiliser registration and nutrient use efficiency
Copy link to Fertiliser registration and nutrient use efficiencyPrelims and Mains
New fertilisers are registered under the Fertiliser (Control) Order, 1985: a dossier, two season bio efficacy trials by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and State universities, and Central Fertiliser Committee review.
- Water soluble fertilisers have needed only general specifications since 2015.
- Urea and diammonium phosphate (DAP) have the lowest nutrient use efficiency, nitrogen being lost as ammonia and as nitrate into groundwater and phosphorus locking into insoluble compounds; controlled release and water soluble fertilisers do far better.
- Under the Nutrient Based Subsidy the subsidy is fixed per nutrient and retail prices of phosphatic and potassic fertilisers follow world markets, while urea stays price controlled.
- Cheaper urea encourages excess nitrogen and unbalanced soils.
Nutrient use efficiency by fertiliser type
| Fertiliser | Share of the nutrient the crop takes up |
|---|---|
| Urea | 30 to 40 per cent |
| DAP | 15 to 25 per cent |
| Controlled release | 60 to 70 per cent |
| Water soluble | 80 to 95 per cent |
What changed
12 Jun 2026
- The fertiliser subsidy for 2026 to 2027 is set to far exceed the amount budgeted.
- The Agriculture Ministry agreed in principle to exempt fertilisers meeting quality and safety standards from mandatory field trials.
The Indian Express, 12 Jun 2026: Why government is looking to issue faster approvals for new fertilisers (opens in a new tab) · The Indian Express, 15 Jun 2026: Urea price crash opens window for reforms in India (opens in a new tab)
Punjab's paddy and its groundwater
Copy link to Punjab's paddy and its groundwaterPrelims and Mains
Paddy is a water hungry kharif crop: in Punjab it needs about 25 to 30 irrigation cycles a season.
- It has assured procurement at the minimum support price, timely payment, free electricity for irrigation and a mandi network, which cotton and maize lack.
- So with total kharif area fixed, area vacated by other crops moves to paddy.
- Nearly 80 per cent of Punjab's groundwater blocks are overexploited.
- A legume such as groundnut fixes nitrogen through root nodules, saving urea for the next crop.
Spring maize versus spring groundnut
| Spring maize | Spring groundnut | |
|---|---|---|
| Irrigations | 12 to 19 | 3 to 6 |
| Duration | 90 to 100 days | 110 to 115 days |
| Soil effect | none | fixes nitrogen, breaks pest cycles |
What changed
14 Jun 2026New
- Punjab's 2026 paddy area is expected to match or exceed its record, while cotton area fell to its lowest ever.
- Transplanting began on 1 June under a staggered three zone schedule to cut peak power demand and conserve groundwater.
- The High Court struck down the State's ban on hybrid paddy, holding that seeds notified under the Seeds Act, 1966 cannot be barred administratively.
- Hybrids yield more and mature in 125 to 130 days, saving water and giving time for stubble management.
- But seed must be bought each season, and millers allege outturn below the 67 per cent minimum.
Mains: The dispute sets productivity and water saving against seed dependence and procurement norms, and needs a science based, transparent policy.
The Indian Express, 3 Jun 2026: Why Punjab could see record paddy cultivation despite repeated diversification drives (opens in a new tab) · The Indian Express, 14 Jun 2026: Why hybrid paddy continues to divide Punjab's agricultural community (opens in a new tab)