Gujarat's Soil Health Card Program Reduces Fertilizer Use and Increases Crop Yields
‘X-ray of the soil’ helps Gujarat farmers cut fertiliser use, boost yields

Image: The Hindu
Gujarat's Soil Health Card program enables farmers to reduce fertilizer usage while increasing crop yields. A farmer in Bhavnagar cut his fertilizer use nearly in half and boosted his cotton yield from 8 to 11.24 tonnes after a soil test. Over 2.23 crore cards have been issued since 2003.
- 01Hirenbhai Nakrani reduced urea use from 400 kg to 180 kg and DAP from 290 kg to 140 kg after soil testing.
- 02His cotton yield increased from 8 tonnes to 11.24 tonnes following recommendations from the Soil Health Card program.
- 03The program has issued over 2.23 crore soil health cards to farmers in Gujarat since its inception in 2003-04.
- 04Gujarat aims to test 2.18 lakh soil samples and issue new cards in the current year.
- 05Soil health cards analyze 12 parameters, helping farmers optimize fertilizer use based on soil needs.
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The Soil Health Card program in Gujarat has significantly impacted local agriculture by allowing farmers to optimize fertilizer use and enhance crop yields. Hirenbhai Nakrani, a cotton farmer from Bhavnagar, exemplifies this success; after a soil test, he reduced his fertilizer use by nearly half, from 400 kg of urea and 290 kg of DAP to 180 kg and 140 kg, respectively, resulting in an increase in yield from 8 tonnes to 11.24 tonnes. The program, which has issued over 2.23 crore cards since its launch in 2003, aims to promote balanced fertilizer use and improve soil fertility. With a target to test 2.18 lakh soil samples this year, the initiative provides farmers with tailored recommendations based on laboratory analyses of their soil. Parul Parmar, Assistant Director of Agriculture, noted that the program analyzes 12 soil parameters, including essential nutrients and micronutrients, helping farmers avoid excessive fertilizer application. Overall, the initiative supports sustainable farming practices and enhances productivity in the long term.
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The Soil Health Card program helps farmers reduce input costs and increase yields, promoting sustainable agriculture in Gujarat.
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