India has ensured the food security of her vast populace by way of achieving record agriculture production and making food grains available either free or at nominal prices to the poorer strata of society. However, this has not ensured nutritional security. Multi-nutrient deficiency continues to affect a vast segment of the population. The deficiency becomes further acute in the case of micronutrients. For example, zinc deficiency, especially in children, is resulting in stunted growth, weak immune systems, and even mental health issues.
Agronomic fortification is the fastest way of increasing the availability of zinc in soils and in turn increasing the zinc content of food crops. Even fortified varieties will require soils enriched in micronutrients. It means good soil health is a prerequisite for growing crops enriched in micronutrients.
There is widespread deficiency of zinc in Indian soils, especially in agriculture-intensive areas of the rice-wheat system. According to reports of long-term experiments, about 37 per cent of Indian soils are affected by zinc deficiency. There is a positive correlation between the deficiency of zinc in soils and human health. Zinc is the 5th most important plant nutrient after nitrogen, phosphate, potash, and sulphur.
Zinc content of crops increases crop yields and improves the quality of products. There is also favorable economics for farmers with appropriate pricing of zinc fertilizers.
Recommendations for the application of zinc fertilizer are available for various crops. There are a number of zinc fertilizers included in the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO). These include zinc sulphate, zincated NPKs, DAP, SSP, and micronutrient mixtures. The government has also approved customized fertilizers fortified with zinc based on proven responses for specific crops and areas. It may be appropriate to clarify that fertilizers are covered under the Essential Commodity Act and the FCO has been issued under the Act, which specifies, amongst other things, fertilizer products that can be sold for agriculture use in the Indian market, meaning thereby that no fertilizer products can be sold without its inclusion in the FCO.
Further, the major source of zinc at present is zinc sulphate. While fertilizers attract 5 per cent GST, zinc sulphate sold as fertilizer attracts 12 per cent GST. This increases the cost of zinc application and needs to be reduced to 5 per cent GST. Import of raw materials should also attract 5 per cent or lower customs duty. In addition to lowering the cost of zinc fertilizers, there is also a need for increasing awareness amongst farmers about the importance of zinc. Soil testing should always include micronutrients in addition to primary and secondary nutrients.
Disclaimer: These are personal views of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect the opinion of www.business-standard.com or the Business Standard newspaper
First Published: Apr 10 2024 | 5:56 PM IST
