A Study of Fertilizer Comsumption in Himachal Pradesh, 1986 by D.V. Singh & R. Swarup
Abstract: The growing population pressure during the last few decades considerably reduced the margin between the cultivated area and the total area of suitable land that could be brought under cultivation without heavy capital investment. While there are considerable differences between regions and within the same region, this indicates that progress in the future will have to come increasingly through cropping each hectare more frequently, and from raising the crop yields. In both cases, fertilizers will have to play a key role in raising agricultural production. With the exception of very high quality soils and limited time periods, more frequent cropping and sustained increase in yields per hectare of crop requires increasing application of fertilizers. In general, yield responses to fertilizer application are strongly influenced by other agricultural inputs like high yielding varieties of wheat, paddy and other crops. These varieties are specifically tailored to absorb high doses of fertilizer and to translate these into increased yields. Fertilizer use will in certain cases be both a condition to make other inputs economical and also create needs for them. For example, irrigation works may pay only if the irrigated area is cropped at least twice a year. This can be achieved only with fertilizers.
