New Delhi. There is a need to adopt soil test based nutrient management envisaging conjunctive use of both inorganic and organic sources of plant nutrients (through recycling of crop residues into compost, farm yard manure and bio-fertilizers etc.) and introduction of leguminous crops in the cropping system to sustain good soil health for higher crop productivity. This will reduce the use of costly chemical fertilizers. There is no question of complete rejection of chemical fertilizers. The organic nutrient sources available in the country may be sufficient only to meet one third of total requirement of plant nutrients to achieve the targeted level of food production. Thus, the use of organic sources of nutrients has to be supplementary.

This information was given by Prof. K.V. Thomas, Minister of State for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.