Reduction in use of chemical fertiliser needs a roadmap, say experts

The government should first decontrol fertiliser prices to let farmers pick and choose, analysts say

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech on Thursday called upon farmers to reduce the use of chemical fertilisers in a phased manner to help stop the exploitation of soil and other natural resources. 

The prime minister’s appeal came amid the Centre’s focus on giving a fillip to organic and natural farming and lowering the use of chemicals in agriculture, something what the Budget and the Economic Survey also talked about.

However, fertiliser firms, experts and agriculture economists said a “doable” gradual reduction in the use of chemical fertilisers would be tough unless there was a roadmap. Also,