Biofertilisers reshape farming practices in India
Biofertilisers are gaining ground in India as farmers confront soil degradation, distorted nutrient use and rising input costs. BusinessLine reports that microbial products are increasingly seen as a way to protect yields while rebuilding soil health.
India is producing more food, but the condition of its soils is deteriorating after years of heavy reliance on synthetic inputs. The Hindu BusinessLine reports that ICAR assessments put almost 147 million hectares under different forms of land degradation. In many major farming regions, soil organic carbon has fallen below the critical 0.5% threshold, weakening biological activity and resilience. Nutrient use has also become skewed: against a recommended nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium ratio of 4:2:1, some regions are applying nutrients at ratios as distorted as 10.9:4.1:1, a sign of excess nitrogen use and declining efficiency.
The article says biofertilisers are moving into the mainstream as a practical response. Nitrogen-fixing microbes such as Rhizobium, Azotobacter and Azospirillum can reduce dependence on synthetic nitrogen, while phosphate-solubilising bacteria from Bacillus and Pseudomonas groups help unlock phosphorus already stored in the soil. Mycorrhizal fungi are also highlighted for extending plant access to water and nutrients including phosphorus, iron and zinc, while improving tolerance to drought and soil-borne pathogens. That matters in India because recent soil health assessments cited by the report show that more than 58.6% of cultivable land is deficient in sulphur and roughly 36% lacks adequate zinc.
The economics are becoming harder to ignore. Field trials referenced in the report indicate that systematic use of biofertilisers can raise yields by 20-30% across different agro-climatic zones, with potentially larger gains in some high-value horticultural crops and pulses. BusinessLine also points to the PM-PRANAM program, under which the government is encouraging a shift away from heavy dependence on chemical fertiliser subsidies and toward alternative nutrient sources. The Indian biofertiliser market is valued at about $153 million and is projected to expand at roughly 12-16% CAGR through 2033, while the country’s organic food market could reach $3.21 billion by 2031. That gives biological inputs both agronomic relevance and clear market value.