Over 86 lakh soil health cards distributed in state

Bhopal: Nearly 86 lakh 18 thousand soil health cards were distributed to farmers in a significant programme to increase agricultural productivity in state. The distribution of the soil health cards was started in state from 2015-16. The achievement of the Agriculture and Department of Farmers Welfare in this programme has been 98 per cent. Farmer Welfare and Agriculture Development Minister Shri Gaurishankar Bisen issued instructions to the field officers of the concerned areas to advise farmers on the basis of soil health card results to use appropriate fertilisers.

Under this programme, an analysis has been done of the need of crop wise nutrients and fertilisers from 23 lakh 19 thousand grid-based mud samples from 88.72 lakh agricultural ploughs in the state. Maximum soil health cards have been distributed in Chhindwada to 3 lakh 82 thousand 886 farmers, 3 lakh in Balaghat and 2 lakh 89 thousand 500 farmers in Morena.

At present the Department of Farmers Welfare and Agriculture are operating 50 soil testing laboratories in Madhya Pradesh through which the soil testing work is being undertaken. Apart from this, testing work is being undertaken in the soil testing laboratories set up in Krishi Vigyan Kendra and Krishi Vishwavidyalaya in the state.

The 26 laboratories transferred from Madhya Pradesh Rajya Krishi Vipanan Board is also being strengthened with modern technical facilities. There is a facility of testing of micro elements of soil in these laboratories. Laboratories are operating in 313 development blocks of the state. Farmer Welfare Department has prepared 206 soil testing laboratory buildings.

Soil samples are being taken from mini labs for testing of soil of fields in the state. This has generated job for the rural youth. The result of the analysis of the soil samples collected by farmers is being uploaded on the soil health card portal by the Centre.-WTN