Indian Agriculture
·
Mainstay of Indian Economy
·
Since independence, undergone a change from
being the sector contributing the highest share to the GDP to one contributing
the lowest share.
·
Agriculture is a state subject.
·
GDP contribution (Agriculture and allied sector)
o
56.5 pc in 1950-51
o
15.7 pc in 2008-09 and 14.6 pc in 2009-10. It
was 19 pc in 2004-05. (2004-05 prices)
o
Agricultural GDP grew by 0.4 pc in 2009-10 and
-0.1 pc in 2008-09.
·
Employment
o
75.9 pc in 1961
o
59.9 pc in 1999-2000
o
58.2 pc in 2008-09
o
1999-2000: Number at 237.8 million
·
GCF
o
Share in total GCF 2009-10: 7.7 pc (2004-05
prices)
o
GCF as % of agricultural GDP: 2007-08 – 16.3,
2008-09(P) – 19.67, 2009-10(QE) – 20.3
o
GCF as % of total GDP: 2007-08 – 2.69, 2008-09P
– 3.09, 2009-10QE – 2.97
·
Contributes to agricultural growth and
industrial demand
·
Contributed 10.59 pc of total exports in
2009-10.
·
Due to the large number of workforce in this
sector, the growth of agriculture is a necessary condition for inclusive
growth.
·
Food grains production
o
Highest in 2008-09: 234. 47 mn t
o
2009-10: 218.11 mn t
Agriculture and Industry
·
Agriculture as
o
Supplier of wage goods to the industrial sector
o
Provider of raw materials
o
Consumer of agricultural capital goods produced
by industry
·
Stagnation in agriculture
o
Get data on CAGR
Land Reforms
·
Great scarcity and uneven distribution of land
·
Focus of agricultural policies in the initial
years was on institutional changes through land reforms
·
Two objectives of land reforms in India
o
To remove the impediments to agriculture that
arise due to the character of agrarian structure in rural areas
o
To reduce or eliminate the exploitation of
tenants/small farmers
·
Four main areas of land reforms in India
o
Abolition of intermediaries (zamindars)
o
Tenancy reforms
o
Land ceilings
o
Consolidation of disparate land holdings
·
Economic arguments for land reforms
o
Equity
o
Small farms tend to be more productive than
large farms
o
Owner cultivated plots of land tend to be more productive that those under sharecropped
tenancy
·
Abolition of zamindari was successful while the
other three areas of land reforms met with limited success
·
Operation Bargha. Also, LR in Kerala
·
Regional trends in LR
·
Effect of land reforms
o
On tenants
§
Absentee landlordism declined
§
Tenancy declined. In some cases, tenants were
evacuated from the land.
§
In some cases there was a drift of tenants into
landless
§
Where tenants had not been evicted, tenancy was
pushed underground
o
On equity
o
On productivity
o
On agrarian power relations
·
The National Commission on Farmers has placed the
unfinished agenda in land reform first in its list of five factors central
overcome an agrarian crisis
·
Way forwards
o
Land reforms that make tenancy legal and give
well defined rights to tenants, including women, are now necessary
Technology and Green Revolution
·
In the early 60s India faced several crises
o
It had to fight two wars: Pakistan and China
o
Severe drought in 1965 and 1966
o
US was using PL-480 food supply as a means to
twist India’s arms to meet US interests
·
This called for an overhaul of the agricultural
strategy and the need to be self-sufficient in food production
·
Three phases of green revolution
o
1966-1972
o
1973-1980
o
1981-1990
·
1966-1972
o
C Subramaniam and MSS
o
1965: Agricultural Prices Commission and Food
Corporation of India set up
o
Introduction of HYV seed of wheat from Mexico
created by CIMMYT
o
Under the new agricultural policy, the spread of
HYVs was supported by public investments in fertilisers, power, irrigation and
credit
o
Food grain production shot up
§
1966-67: 74 mt
§
1971-72: 105 mt
o
India became nearly self-sufficient in food
grains
o
What led to the increased production?
§
Favourable pricing policy led to adequate
incentives
§
National research system proceeded to indigenise
the new seeds to tackle their shortcomings
§
Availability of inputs including canal water,
fertilisers, power and credit
§
Subsidies
§
Role of credit began to be important after 1969
·
1973-1980
o
This phase saw many challenges
o
Consecutive droughts in 1972-73
o
Oil shock
o
Production fell. Imports began again.
o
Thereafter, government increased fertiliser
subsidies
o
Groundwater irrigation increased in
importance
o
HYV technology extended from wheat to rice
·
1981-1990
o
1986
§
Rice prod: 63.8 mt (1964: 37)
§
Wheat prod: 47 mt (1964: 12 mt)
o
Even when the ‘worst drought of the century’ struck
in 1987, food needs could be adequately met due to buffer stocks
o
HYV technology spread eastward to states like
West Bengal and Bihar
o
The impact of HYV technology had started to
plateau however
o
Input subsidies kept on increasing
o
1991: Input subsidy was 7.2 pc of agricultural
GDP
·
What was the impact of highly regulated policies
on agriculture?
o
There were barriers on pricing, movement and
private trading of agricultural produce
o
The external sector was burdened with various
tariff and non-tariff barriers to agricultural trade flows
o
The overvalued rupee produced an anti-export
environment for agriculture
o
High protection to industry produced high
industrial prices and adverse terms of trade for agriculture, reducing the
relative profitability of the primary sector
·
What was the aim of agricultural pricing in
pre-reform era?
o
Ensure inexpensive food for consumers
o
Protect farmers’ incomes from price fluctuations
o
Keep the balance of payments in check
·
Agriculture in post-reform era
o
Impact: 1. Growth in PCI led to an increase in
food demand and also diversification. 2.
Terms of trade between agricultural and industrial prices improved in favour of
agriculture
o
Increased profitability has led to increase in
private investments which are now double the public investment in agriculture.
o
Growth rates
§
1980s: 3 pc
§
1990s:
§
2000s:
§
Tenth Plan: 2.47 pc (as against 7.77 pc of
overall economic growth)
o
This has however not translated into reduction
of poverty
o
There has been an increase in both urban and
rural inequality
·
Deceleration in agricultural growth
o
Declined during 90s
o
Deceleration in the growth of area, production
and yield
o
Food production of Rabi crops has off late
equalled the Kharif crops. This has to an extent reduced the over dependence on
monsoon and imparted some stability to agricultural production
o
Area-wise, the deceleration was more in case of
the Indo-Gangetic region
·
The instability in agricultural growth is more in states with high percentage of
rain-fed areas
·
Acreage: declining trend in most crops during
the period 1995-96 to 2004-05
·
Productivity: sharp decline (1995-2005). Healthy
performance of cotton and maize though
Major factors affecting growth potential
·
Lack of long term policy perspective
o
No long term strategy for agricultural
development
o
National Agricultural Policy was announced only
in the year 2000
o
Sectoral priority to industry from the second
FYP
o
Weaknesses of policies followed for agricultural
development
§
Policies provided little incentives for the
farmers as the prices were depressed and the sector was disprotected vis a vis
other sectors of the economy
§
Inward-looking policies
§
Excessive price based focus than non-price
factors like water, infrastructure, R&D, extension services etc
·
Investment in Agriculture and Subsidies
o
There have been cutbacks in agricultural
investment and extension, but not in subsidies
o
Agricultural subsidy as pc of GDP:
o
Public investment in agriculture declined from 4
pc of agriculture GDP in 1976-1980 to
o
Subsidies on fertiliser, power and irrigation
have contributed to soil degradation
o
It is important to reduce subsidies and increase
public investment in crucial areas such as soil amelioration, watershed development, groundwater recharge, surface
irrigation and other infrastructure
o
Public Sector GCF in agriculture stood at less
than Rs 50 bn at 1993-94 prices
o
It is imperative to reduce these subsidies for
stepping up public investment in agriculture
o
After 2003, the investments have started to
increase. In 2006-07 public sector GCF was 3.7 pc of
agricultural GDP and total GCF was 12.5
pc of agricultural GDP
o
Three areas should get priority in public
investments
§
Rural roads
§
Electricity
§
Irrigation projects
§
o
Complimentarity between public and private
sector capital formation in agricultural sector. Public sector can create
infrastructure while the private investment is essential for short term asset
building mainly in the areas of mechanisation, ground levelling, private
irrigation etc
·
Lagging research and development efforts
o
After the green revolution, there has been no
major breakthrough in agricultural research. GM is a promising area but its
safety has not yet been conclusively established.
o
Poor productivity in India compared to other
countries and even compared to world average
o
India, however, has the largest public
agricultural research establishment in the world. ICAR and agricultural
universities
o
India spends only 0.3 pc of agricultural GDP for
research as compared to 0.7 pc in other developing countries and 2-3 pc in case
of developed countries.
o
There is hardly any scope for expansion of area.
Hence, productivity must increase to keep up with the increasing demand.
R&D has a lot of role to play here
o
New varieties of seeds need to be developed
suited to different regions of the country
o
The research system should be responsive to the
changing needs and circumstances
·
Technology generation and dissemination
o
Fixed land. Hence technology
o
Focus on yield as well as sustainable use of
land
o
Focus should be on specific requirements of each
agro-climatic region
o
Ned to develop much stronger linkages between
extension and farmers
·
Rising
soil degradation and over-exploitation of groundwater
o
Around 40 pc of Indian’s total geographical area
are officially estimated as degraded
o
Soil health is deteriorating in Punjab and
Haryana
·
Degradation of natural resources
·
Subsidies vis-a-vis investments and farm support
systems
·
Agriculture’s terms of trade and farm price
volatility
o
Ensure rapid development of backward farm
linkages
·
Summary: Need to correct the policy bias against
agriculture, make higher investments, develop new varieties of seeds, conserve
natural resources like land and water and provide incentives to the farmers to
adopt modernisation
Some Issues in Indian Agriculture
·
Low public investment
·
Halt in the modernization of agriculture
·
Agricultural indebtedness
·
Farmer suicides
·
Agricultural imports and future markets
Subsidies
·
Talk about bringing urea under the Nutrient
Based Subsidy (NBS) system and decontrolling its prices
·
Downsides
o
Fertilizer subsidy touched almost 1 lakh crore
in 2008-09
o
Promotes overuse of fertiliser and thereby
catalysing soil degradation
o
As a result, agricultural production in the
bread baskets of the country has stagnated, posing a threat to the food security
of the country
o
Drylands do not receive the benefit of crores of
subsidy given in fertilizers
Government Intitiatives
·
Green Revolution
·
National Policy on Agriculture, 2002
·
National Policy for Farmers, 2007
o
Major policy provisions include provisions for asset
reforms, water use efficiency, use of technology, inputs and services like soil
health, good quality seeds, credit, support for women etc
o
Focus on millets as well
o
Agriculture during the 11th plan
·
Flagship schemes
o
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana
o
National Food Security Mission
o
National Horticulture Mission (2005-06)
o
Integrated Scheme of Pulses, Oilseeds and Maize
o
Technology Mission for Integrated Development of
Horticulture in North-east and Himalayan States (2001-02)
o
National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
o
National Mission on Micro Irrigation was
launched in 2010 in addition to the earlier Micro Irrigation Scheme launched in
2006
o
National Bamboo Mission
·
Avg growth of 2.03 pc against the Plan target of
4 pc per annum.
·
For sustainable and inclusive growth
o
Must focus on the small and marginal farmers as
well as female farmers
o
Group approach should be adopted so that they
can reap economies of scale
o
Bring technology to farmers
o
Improving efficiency of investments
o
Diversifying while also protecting food security
concerns
o
Fostering inclusiveness through a group approach
·
Irrigation
o
Envisages creation of an additional potential of
16 mn ha
o
Bharat Nirman aims to bring an additional 1
crore ha of land under irrigation by
2012
o
Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme still
on
Irrigation
·
45 pc of nearly 175 mn ha of cropped area is
irrigated
·
Trends
o
Nearly trebled from 24 mn ha in 1953-64 to 75 mn
ha in 1998-99
o
It accounts for the largest part of total
investments in the agricultural sector
o
Importance of ground water as an irrigation
source has also increased considerably
·
Uneven access
o
Inter-regional variance
o
Inequality in access within the farming
population
·
Areas of concern
o
Depletion of ground water
o
Environmental concerns
o
Costs
·
Steps to take
o
Improving water use efficiency
o
Water governance
o
Economic incentives for efficient use
·
Govt Schemes
o
Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme was
started during 1996-97. It extends assistance for the completion of incomplete
irrigation schemes
o
·
In 11th FYP – refer previous section
·
Way Forward
·
Second green revolution (?)
·
Relook at all the issues offering forward and
backward linkages in the agricultural production cycle
·
Focus on oilseeds, pulses and coarse cereals
·
Coarse cereals: high nutrition, can be grown in
dry areas, enhance fertility of soil in rotation
·
PDS should be reformed: coarse cereals should
also be provided through PDS
·
Timely availability of credit at affordable
costs
·
Wider extension of insurance facilities to the
farm sector
·
Water and irrigation infrastructure
·
Drip irrigation
·
Organic manures should be popularized and their
commercial production encouraged
·
Educate farmers about technology and
agricultural techniques
·
Food Security
·
Food security should also incorporate
nutritional security. This requires emphasising the increase in production of
pulses, fruits, vegetables, poultry and meat.
·
Interpreted broadly
·
Includes nutritional security which particularly
incorporates maternal health and infant health due to the involvement of the
nutritional aspect
·
Also covers employment security (?)
·
Affordability, accessibility and availability
·
Food security seeks to address all the three
dimensions of hunger: chronic, hidden and transient
·
It also is the first step towards inclusive
development
Public Distribution System
·
High procurement prices
Irrigation
·
The total irrigation potential in the country
has increased from 81.1 mn hectares in 1991-92 to 108.2 mn hectares in March
2010.
·
1996-97: Accelerated Irrigation Benefit
Programme initiated
·
Reservoir Storage Capacity: 151.77 billion cubic
metres
Agricultural Pricing
·
To ensure
o
Remunerative prices to growers
o
Encouraging higher investment and production
o
Safeguard the interest of consumers by making
sure that adequate supplies are available
·
It also seeks to evolve a balanced and
integrated price structure in the perspective of the overall needs of the
economy
Investment in Agriculture
·
FAO estimates that global agricultural
production needs to grow 70 pc by 2050 in order to meet projected food demand
·
Hence investment should grow by a whopping 50 pc
·
In India, public investment in agriculture has
witnessed a steady decline from the 6th FYP onwards
·
Share of investment in agriculture has been
between 8-10 pc
·
Most of this has gone into current expenditure
in the form of increased output and input subsidies
·
Though private sector investment has been
increasing, it has not proved to be enough
·
Decreased public spending in creation of
supporting infrastructure in rural areas has discouraged private investment in
this sector
·
Some of the measures could be
o
Investment in general service like R&D,
education, marketing and rural infrastructure
o
Increased investment in rainfed areas
o
Private sector participation
o
Increased investment for sustainable development
WTO and Agriculture
·
Uruguay Round multilateral trade negotiations
were concluded after 7 years of negotiation in December 1993
·
The WTO Agreement on Agriculture was one of the
main agreements which was negotiated
·
Agreement on Agriculture contains provisions in
three broad areas of agriculture
o
Market Access
o
Domestic Support
o
Export Subsidies
·
Market Access
o
This is the most important aspect of the
negotiation because all countries restrict market access while only few have
export subsidies and domestic support
o
This includes tariffication, tariff reduction
and access opportunities
o
Tariffication means that all NTTBs should be
withdrawn (such as quotas, minimum export prices etc)
o
Adopts a single approach using a tiered formula
o
Single approach: everyone except LDCs have to
contribute by improving market access for all products
o
Sensitive products: All countries can list some
sensitive products and are allowed flexibility in the way these products are
treated, although even sensitive products have to see ‘substantial
improvements’ in market access.
o
Special and differential treatment
§
Purpose: for rural development, food security
and livelihood security
§
Specifically, special treatment is to be given
to developing countries in ‘all elements of the negotiation', including
‘lesser’ commitments in the formula and long implementation period
§
Special products: developing countries will be
given additional flexibility for products that are specially important for
their food security, livelihood security and rural development.
§
Special Safeguard Mechanisms: is intended to
provide contingent protection to poor farmers in developing countries from
negative shocks to import prices or from surges in imports. [Safeguards are
contingency restrictions on imports taken temporarily to deal with special
circumstances such as a sudden surge in imports. AoA has special provisions on
safeguards. In agriculture safeguards, (unlike normal safeguards) can be
triggered automatically when import volumes rise above a certain level or if
prices fall below a certain level; and it is not necessary to demonstrate that
serious injury is being caused to the domestic industry]
o
AoA requires (from 1995)
§
36% average reduction by developed countries,
with a minimum per tariff line reduction of 15% over six years
§
24% average reduction by developing countries
with a minimum per tariff line reduction
of 10% over ten years
·
Domestic Support (subsidies)
o
AoA structures domestic support into three
categories
§
Green Box
§
Amber Box
§
Blue Box
o
Green Box
§
Non (or minimal) trade distorting subsidies
§
They have to be government funded and must not
involve price support
§
They tend to be programmes that are not targeted
at particular products and include direct income supports for farmers that are
not related to current production levels or prices. They also include
environmental protection and regional developmental programmes. These subsidies
are therefore allowed without limits
o
Amber Box
§
All domestic support measures considered
production and trade fall into the amber box
§
These include measures to support prices, or
subsidies directly related to production quantities
§
These supports are subject to limits which are
allowed: 5% of total production for developed countries, 10% for developing
countries
§
Reduction commitments are expressed in terms of
a “Total Aggregate Measurement of Support” (Total AMS)
o
Blue Box
§
This is the “amber box with conditions” –
conditions designed to reduce distortion
§
Any support that would normally be in the amber
box, is placed in the blue box if the support also required farmers to limit
production
§
At present there are no limits on spending on
blue box subsidies.
·
Export subsidies
o
Developed countries are required to reduce their
export subsidy by 36% (by value) or 21% (by volume) over the six years
o
For developing countries the % cuts are 24% (by
value) or 14% (by volume) over 10 years
·
India’s commitment
o
As India was maintaining QRs due to balance of
payments reasons (which is a GATT consistent measure), it did not have to
undertake any commitments in regard to market access
·
In India, exporters of agricultural commodities
do not get any direct subsidy. Indirect subsidies are given
Food Processing
·
Food processing is a large sector that covers
activities such as agriculture, horticulture, plantation, animal husbandry and
fisheries
·
Ministry of Food Processing indicated the
following segments within the Food Processing industry:
o
Dairy, fruits and vegetable processing
o
Grain processing
o
Meat and poultry processing
o
Fisheries
o
Consumer foods including packaged foods,
beverages and packaged drinking water
·
Industry is large and has grown after 1991.
However, of the country’s total agriculture and food produce, only 2 per cent
is processed.
·
FP has 9% share in manufacturing
·
Structure
o
42 pc: Unorganised
o
33 pc: SSI
o
25 pc: Organised
Constraints &
Drivers of Growth
Changing lifestyles, food habits, organized food retail and urbanization are the key factors for processed foods in India, these are post-liberalization trends and they give boost to the sector.
There has been a notable change in consumption pattern in India. Unlike earlier, now the share and growth rates for fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy have gone higher compared to cereals and pulses. Such a shift implies a need to diversify the food production base to match the changing consumption preferences.
Also in developed countries it has been observed that there has been a shift from carbohydrate staple to animal sources and sugar. Going by this pattern, in future, there will be demand for prepared meals, snack foods and convenience foods and further on the demand would shift towards functional, organic and diet foods.
Some of the key constraints identified by the food processing industry include:
- Poor infrastructure in terms of cold storage, warehousing, etc
- Inadequate quality control and testing infrastructure
- Inefficient supply chain and involvement of middlemen
- High transportation and inventory carrying cost
- Affordability, cultural and regional preference of fresh food
- High taxation
- High packaging cost
In
terms of policy support, the ministry of food processing has taken the
following initiatives:
- Formulation of the National Food Processing Policy
- Complete de-licensing, excluding for alcoholic beverages
- Declared as priority sector for lending in 1999
- 100% FDI on automatic route
- Excise duty waived on fruits and vegetables processing from 2000 –
01
- Income tax holiday for fruits and vegetables processing from 2004 –
05
- Customs duty reduced on freezer van from 20% to 10% from 2005 – 06
- Implementation of Fruit Products Order
- Implementation of Meat Food Products Order
- Enactment of FSS Bill 2005
- Food Safety and Standards Bill, 2005
- Mega Food Parks
Apart
from these initiatives, the Centre has requested state Governments to undertake
the following reforms:
- Amendment to the APMC Act
- Lowering of VAT rates
- Declaring the industry as seasonal
- Integrate the promotional structure
Plan
Schemes
During the 10th Plan, the Ministry
implemented Plan schemes for Technology Upgradation/Modernization/Establishment
of Food Processing Industries, Infrastructure Development, Human Resource
Development, Quality Assurance, R&D and other promotional activities.
In the 11th Plan, it has been proposed to continue assistance
to the above schemes with higher levels of assistance. In the 11th Plan, the Ministry proposes to launch a revamped
Infrastructure Scheme under which it will promote setting up of Mega Food Parks, cold chain infrastructure, value added centres and packaging centres.
The Mega Food Park Scheme will provide backward and forward linkages as well as
reliable and sustainable supply chain. The emphasis will be on building
strong linkages with agriculture and horticulture, enhancing project
implementation capabilities, increased involvement of private sector
investments and support for creation of rural infrastructure to ensure a steady
supply of good quality agri/horticulture produce. It will provide a mechanism
to bring farmers, processors and retailers together and link agricultural
production to the market so as to ensure maximization of value addition,
minimize wastages and improve farmers' income. The Mega Food Park would be a
well-defined agri/horticultural-processing zone containing state of the art
processing facilities with support infrastructure and well established supply
chain. The primary
objective of the proposed scheme is to facilitate establishment of integrated
value chain, with processing at the core and supported by requisite forward and
backward linkages. It is envisaged that the implementation of the
projects would be assisted by professional Project Management Agencies (PMA)
from concept to commissioning. In 11th Plan it is planned to support establishment of
thirty (30) Mega Food Parks in
various parts of the country.
Vision
2015 on Food Processing Industries
A vision, strategy and action plan
has also been finalized for giving boost to growth of food processing sector. The objective is to increase
level of processing of perishable food from 6% to 20%, value addition from 20%
to 35% and share in global food trade from 1.6% to 3%. The level of
processing for fruits and vegetables is envisaged to increase from the present
2.2% to 10% and 15% in 2010 and 2015 respectively. The Cabinet has approved the
integrated strategy for promotion of agri-business and vision, strategy and
action plan for the Food Processing Sector, based on the recommendations made
by the Group of Ministers (GOM).
Integrated
Food Law
An Integrated Food Law, i.e. Food Safety and Standards Act,
2006 was notified on 24.8.2006. The Act enables in removing multiplicity
of food laws and regulatory agencies and provide single window to food
processing sector. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has been designated
as the nodal Ministry for administration and implementation of the Act.
National
Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship & Management (NIFTEM)
The Ministry has set up a National Institute of Food
technology Entrepreneurship & Management (NIFTEM) at Kundli (Haryana).
The Institute will function as a knowledge centre in food processing. Certificate
of Incorporation of NIFTEM as a section 25 Company under the Companies act 1956
has been obtained.
SWOT
Analysis of Food–Processing Industry
Strengths
Strengths
- Abundant availability of raw material
- Priority sector status for agro-processing given by the central
Government
- Vast network of manufacturing facilities all over the country
- Vast domestic market
Weaknesses
- Low availability of adequate infrastructural facilities
- Lack of adequate quality control and testing methods as per
international standards
- Inefficient supply chain due to a large number of intermediaries
- High requirement of working capital.
- Inadequately developed linkages between R&D labs and industry.
- Seasonality of raw material
Opportunities
- Large crop and material base offering a vast potential for agro
processing activities
- Setting of SEZ/AEZ and food parks for providing added incentive to
develop greenfield projects
- Rising income levels and changing consumption patterns
- Favourable demographic profile and changing lifestyles
- Integration of development in contemporary technologies such as
electronics, material science, bio-technology etc. offer vast scope for
rapid improvement and progress
- Opening of global markets
Threats
- Affordability and cultural preferences of fresh food
- High inventory carrying cost
- High taxation
- High packaging cost
Subsidies
Fertilizer Policy: Urea is the only fertilizer under statutory
price control. Government of India has
introduced nutrient based subsidy with effect from 1st April, 2010 in respect
of phosphatic and potassic fertilizers.
Under the policy, subsidy is based on
the nutrient (N,P,K and S) content of the
decontrolled P and K fertilizers. Price of Urea has been increased by
10% while price of other subsidized fertilizers are being maintained around
current levels. Additional subsidy on micronutrients has been introduced on
Boron and Zinc, to begin with. In order
to promote the concept of balanced use of fertilizers and to encourage use of
micronutrients, several fertilizers fortifed with Boron and Zinc have been
incorporated in the Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1985.
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