The government is likely to ask fertilizer companies to lift certain part of the production of organic manure produced by the compressed biogas (CBG) plants as there are complaints about reluctance by these companies to sell the produce to farmers, sources said.

Last month, the Agriculture Ministry took up the issue with the Fertilizer Ministry to ensure that both public and private sector fertilizer companies purchase “a minimum quantity of FOM/LFOM” from the CBG plants and sell those to the farmers through their distribution network as they do it in case of chemical fertilizers, sources said.

Fermented organic manure (FOM) and liquid FOM are by products of CBG plants and those are promoted under the Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBARdhan) scheme. Besides, the Department of Fertilizer has been providing Market Development Assistance (MDA) on FOM/LFOM at ₹1,500/tonne.

Prohibitive prices

Though some private companies are selling FOM/LFOM on their own, prices are highly prohibitive for farmers to adopt those products when the chemical fertilisers are comparatively much cheaper.

In a communication to his counterpart in Fertiliser Ministry last month, Union Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi pointed out that extensive high input agriculture over the years has led to depletion of organic carbon levels in the soil and affected soil fertility and nutrient availability. As the Agriculture Ministry has been promoting soil organic carbon through adoption of Integrated Nutrient Management and organic farming practices, FOM and LFOM are potential sources of organic carbon that can improve the physical quality of soil in addition to improving soil fertility, he said.

But, the acceptance of FOM and LFOM among farmers remains relatively low despite those are rich sources of carbon, resulting in its low adoption in regular agricultural practices.

More policy support

Though, the Agriculture Ministry has been promoting these products through its Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) scheme on organic farming, and even recently wrote to States to encourage the use of FOM/ LFOM in various cropping system on farmers field in the vicinity of the CBG units, there are some measures required to be initiated by the Fertiliser Ministry, the sources said.

The Department of Fertilizer may consider additional policy support to further promote the adoption of FOM and LFOM, Chautuvedi has suggested. This could help ensure wider availability of FOM and LFOM in the market, he said and added that the Fertilizer Department could review the current MDA and explore policy adjustments to ensure that these organic manures are accessible to farmers at reasonable rates.

Experts said if fertiliser companies start promoting these products, it would not only enhance their use, but also would contribute to improving soil quality by increasing its carbon content, which is very crucial for sustainable farming amid challenges of climate change.

Published on February 7, 2025