Economic Analysis of Fertilizer Use in the Saurashtra Region of Gujarat State

Abstract

The present study was undertaken with a view to assess the growth in fertilizer consumption and fertilizer use pattern, to examine the gap between actual use and recommended dose of fertilizer, to study the determinants of fertilizer use and to estimate the fertilizer use efficiency for selected major crops in Saurashtra region. Purposive random sampling technique was used for the selection of the sample. In all, 280 farmers were selected randomly, of which, 35 farmers were for each crop viz; groundnut, cotton bajra and wheat from South and North Saurashtra agro- climatic zones. The Secondary data on disrictwise fertilizer consumption, gross cropped area, gross irrigated area and rainfall were drawn from the published sources and primary data in respect of various resources and output were collected for the year 2003-04.
The results of the study revealed that among all the crops, the highest gross income was received from cotton crop in Saurashtra (Rs 41938/ha). The highest area was allocated to groundnut crop in both the zones with an average share of 59.17 per cent to size of farm in Saurashtra.
In both the zones and for Saurashtra region as a whole, on an average around 92 per cent of sample farmers have used fertilizers. Among all the selected districts, Rajkot topped the list in consumption of N, P, K and NPK during the Period-I, Period-II and Period-III. The annual rate of nitrogen consumption significantly increased in Saurashtra during Period-I (10.68 %) and during Period-III (5.77 % ). The Potash consumption significantly decreased at the rate of 4.06 per cent per annum in the region during the Period-II. Relatively higher stability in consumption of all the nutrient was observed in Period-II as compared to Period-I and Period-III. The gross irrigated area emerged as the chief factor in determination of fertilizer consumption in the districts of Saurashtra region.
In case of groundnut crop, the gap in respect of N was higher in large farmers as compared to small and medium farmers in North Saurashtra (37.28 %) and Saurashtra (18.96 %) in groundnut crop. There was no gap in respect of P in North Saurashtra. The over utilization of K was found in South Saurashtra, North Saurashtra and for Saurashtra as a whole. In cotton crop, the gap in respect of N was wider in North Saurashtra agro-climatic zone and it was also wider in large farmers as compared to small and medium farmers in both the zones. P and K were over utilized in all the categories of farms in both the zones in cotton crop. In bajra also, there was gap in use of both N and P and it was wider in North Saurashtra zone as compared to South Saurashtra zone. In South Saurashtra zone, there is no gap in fertilizer use in wheat crop. The gap in use of N and P in wheat crop was observed in North Saurashtra only.
Positive and significant impact of rainfall on fertilizer consumption in groundnut was found in South Saurashtra zone and Saurashtra region, whereas the size of farm has negative and significant impact in North Saurashtra zone. In Saurashtra region, fertilizer use in cotton was affected positively and significantly by rainfall and one year lagged price. Rainfall emerges as the important factors in determining the consumption of fertilizer in bajra crop. In Saurashtra region, annual average rainfall (1.0032) and cropping intensity (0.5953) showed positive and significant impact on fertilizer use in wheat crop.
The output elasticities of groundnut and cotton with respect to area under the crop and human labour were found positive and significant in both the zones and for Saurashtra too. In bajra crop, the output elacticities for human labour was found positive and significant in both the zones. The elasticities of wheat output with respect to area under crop (0.1615) and human labour (0.4258) were found positive and significant in both the zones.
For groundnut crop, the ratio of MVP to factor price of all the included factors except for bullock labour was greater than unity in Saurashtra. In case of cotton, the MVP of all the included factor, except for working capital was quite higher than its unit price in both the zones. The ratios of MVP of bajra crop to factor price of area under the crop, bullock labour, manures and other working capital was less than unity which calls for its restricted use in bajra crop in Saurashtra region. The ratios higher than unity for N in wheat indicated the scope of increase the use of N in both the zones.
Human labour was found underutilized in all the selected crops in both the zones except for bajra in North Saurashtra zone and in Saurashtra as a whole. Nitrogen remained under utilized in groundnut and cotton in both the zones and in Saurashtra region but in bajra crop it remained under utilized in South Saurashtra and North Saurashtra. The use of N in wheat crop was found under utilized in North Saurashtra zone only. P and K were over utilized in all the selected crops in both the zones except the case of K in bajra and wheat crop in Saurashtra and North Saurashtra, respectively.
Thus it can be concluded that consumption of fertilizers, in general, has increased in all the districts except the consumption of K and fertilizer consumption was mainly influenced by the gross irrigated areas. On farmers’ field the gap in use of N was observed in all the selected crops and was also not utilized efficiently in most of the selected crops.

Full text

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HIND AG RICULTURAL RES EARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE
•
I
NTRODUCTION
Among all the modern inputs, fertilizer play a key
role in modern agriculture. Fertilizer has been universally
accepted as an integral part of package of practice for
raising Indian agriculture to a higher technological plank.
It is estimated that the combination of fertilizers in
association with water towards increase in output can be
as high as 70 per cent. Nearly 50 per cent of the increase
in foodgrain production in the last decade in the world can
be safely due to increased use of fertilizers (Borlaug, 1996).
In spite of large areas of the country having the best kind
of soil in the world, abundance of rainfall, plentiful sunshine
and ideal temperature almost throughout the year for crop
production, the average yield per hectare of crops in India
is very low. It is due to exhausted soils which have been
over cr opped from centuries without adequate
replacement of plant nutrients through fertilizers. The
problems become more acute after Green Revolution
because of widening gap between recommended doze of
fertilizers and actual use by the farmers. Unless addition
of plant nutrients which have been removed from these
soils in the past is made, the soil will not be able to support
See end of the article for
authors’ affiliations
Correspondence to :
N.J. ARDESHNA
Department of Agricultural
Economics, Junagadh
Agricultural University,
JUN AGADH (GUJARAT)
IND IA
Email:nardeshna@yahoo.com
the supply of plant nutrients for getting continuously higher
yields of crops. Plant nutrients are essential not only for
increasing production but also for maintaining the fertility
of soils at desired level. The factors determining the use
of fertilizers need to be critically analyzed to narrow the
gap in nutrient supply capacity of soil and nutrient
requirement of the plant for sustainable productivity of
the crops. With this aspects, the present study was
undertaken to estimate the gap between the actual use
and recommended dose of fertilizer and to identify the
factors determining the fertilizer use in major crops grown
in Gujarat.
M
ATERIALS AND
M
ETHODS
The Saurashtra region of Gujarat often faces the
problem of irregular monsoon. It falls under arid and semi-
arid tracks. The annual rainfall ranges from 400 to 1000
m.m. with an average of 596 mm. The irrigated area is
nearly around 24 per cent of the gross cropped area. These
characteristics have great impact on fertilizer use pattern
and crop response to fertilizer. Hence, the present
investigation is confined to Saurashtra region of Gujarat
Ardeshna, N.J. and Khunt, K.A. (2011). Gap in fertilizer use and its determinants among major selected crops in Saurashtra region of Gujarat,
Internat. Res. J. agric. Eco. & Stat., 2 (1) : 1-6.
Gap in fertilizer use and its determinants among major
selected crops in Saurashtra region of Gujarat
N.J. ARDESHNA
AND
K.A. KHUNT
ABSTRACT
The factor determining the use of fertilizers needs to be critically analyzed to narrow the gap in nutrient
supply capacity of soil and nutrient requirement of the plant for sustainable productivity of the crops. The
present study was undertaken to estimate the gap between actual use and recommended dose of fertilizer
and to identify the factors determining the fertilizer use in major crops grown in Gujarat. The study revealed
that the gap in respect of use of N was observed in all the selected crops but in case of P, The gap was
observed only in bajra crop. The magnitude of gap was higher generally in large farmers. Use of K was found
more than recommended dose in all the crops. In Kharif crops like groundnut and bajra, rainfall has great
impact in determination of level of fertilizer use. Whereas in crops like cotton and wheat, irrigated area, per
farm gross income, lagged prices and cropping intensity were the major factors which determine the level of
use of fertilizers in these crops.
Key words : Gap in fertilizer use, Cropping intensity, Determinants of fertilizer use
Research
Paper
Received : September, 2010; Accepted : October, 2010
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS
Volume 2 Issue 1 (March, 2011) Page : 1-6

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state. The study area comprised two agro-climatic zones
viz., South Saurashtra and North Saurashtra. Purposive
random sampling technique was used for the selection of
the sample. Rajkot and Jamnagar districts from North
Saurashtra and Rajkot and Amreli districts from South
Saurashtra were selected purposively as they acquires
large area of the crops under study viz., groundnut, cotton,
bajra and wheat. Number of villages were selected
considering the availability of respective crop growers and
required size of sample. In all, 280 farmers were selected
randomly for the study during 2004-05, of which 35 farmers
were for each crop from each zone.
The fertilizer gap was estima ted by taking
difference between act u a l us e at farm level and
recommended doze of fertilizers for selected crops in the
respective agro-climatic zones.
The following type of regression model was used
to study the determinants of fertilizer use in selected crops
of the area under study.
Y = a + b
1
X
1
+ b
2
X
2
+ b
3
X
3
+ b
4
X
4
+ b
5
X
5
+ U
where,
Y = Total fertilizer (N, P, K) consumption for selected
Table 1 : Gap between recommended doze and actual use level of fertilizers in groundnut (kg/ha)
Particular N P K Zone Size
Recommended doze 12.50 25.00 0.00
Actual use 12.80 31.08 12.69 S
Gap +0.30 (2.40) +6.08 (24.32) +12.69
Actual use 11.29 27.63 5.03 Me
Gap -1.21 (9.68) +2.63 (10.52) +5.03
Actual use 11.92 25.17 3.93 L
Gap -0.58 (4.64) +0.17 (0.68) +3.93
Actual use 11.88 26.09 4.83
South
Saurashtra
All
Gap -0.62 (4.96) +1.09 (4.36) +4.83
Actual use 11.81 31.05 10.51 S
Gap -0.69 (5.52) +6.05 (24.02) +10.51
Actual use 11.55 30.71 12.59 Me
Gap -0.95 (7.60) +5.71 (22.84) +12.59
Actual use 7.84 18.99 4.30 L
Gap -4.66 (37.28) -6.01 (24.04) +3.93
Actual use 9.27 23.46 7.18
North
Saurashtra
All
Gap -3.33 (25.84) -1.54 (6.16) +7.18
Actual use 11.67 29.97 12.23 S
Gap -0.83 (6.64) +4.97 (19.88) +12.23
Actual use 11.45 29.50 9.63 Me
Gap -1.05 (8.40) +4.50 (18.00) +9.63
Actual use 10.13 22.46 4.09 L
Gap -2.37 (18.96) -2.54 (10.16) +4.09
Actual use 10.63 24.83 5.96
Saurashtra
All
Gap -1.87 (14.96) -0.17 (0.68) +5.96
(Figures in parentheses indicate per cent of gap)
N.J. ARDESHNA
AND
K.A. KHUNT
crops (kg/ha).
a = Intercept.
X
1
= Irrigated area under the crop in hectares.
X
2
= Per farm gross income in rupees.
X
3
= Annual average rainfall in village in mm.
X
4
=One year lagged average price of crop output
Rs./qtl.
X
5
= Cropping intensity in percentage.
X
6
= Size of farm in hectare.
U = Error term.
b
i
= Regression coefficients of the respective
variables.
R
ESULTS AND
D
ISCUSSION
The extent of gap in fertilizer use in groundnut has
been given in Table 1. The extent of gap in respect of N
ranged from 4.64 to 9.68 per cent, 5.52 to 37.28 per cent,
and 6.64 to 18.96 per cent in South Saurashtra, North
Saurashtra and for Saurashtra as a whole, respectively
among various categories of the farmers. The gap was
higher in large farmers as compared to small and medium

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farmers in North Saurashtra (37.28 %) and Saurashtra
(18.96 %). The extent of gap in respect of P ranged from
6.16 to 24.04 per cent, 0.68 to 10.16 per cent in North
Saurashtra zone and Saurashtra as a whole among various
categories of the farmers but there was no gap in North
Saurashtra zone. The K was found overutilized in both
the zones and Saurashtra as a whole among various
categories of the farmers. On an average farm (overall),
there was more gap in respect of N in South Saurashtra,
North Saurashtra and for Saurashtra as a whole.
The extent of gap in fertilizer use in cotton crop is
presented in Table 2. With respect to N, it ranged from
10.37 to 17.08 per cent, 7.81 to 20.77 per cent and 8.83 to
18.43 per cent in South Saurashtra, North Saurashtra and
Saurashtra, respectively. The gap was wider in North
Saurashtra zone. The gap was found wider in large
farmers as compared to small and medium farmers in
cotton crop, in both the zones and in Saurashtra. There
was no gap in case of P and K utilization in cotton but
over utilization of these nutrients was observed in all the
categories of farms in both the zones.
GAP IN FERTILIZER USE & ITS DETERMINANTS AMONG MAJOR SELECTED CROPS IN SAURASHTRA REGION OF GUJARAT
The gap in fertilizer use in bajra is presented in Table
3. The gap with respect to N ranged from 6.26 to 8.50
per cent, 14.03 to 22.23 per cent and 8.54 to 18.98 per
cent and in respect of P ranged from 1.08 to 3.78 per
cent, 13.00 to 33.53 per cent and 6.18 to 8.68 per cent in
South Saurashtra, North Saurashtra and Saurashtra,
respectively. The highest gap in respect of N was found
in medium farmers (22.23%) in North Saurashtra and in
respect of P it was found the highest in large farmers
(33.53 %) in North Saurashtra. Thus, there was more
gap in use of both N and P in North Saurashtra as compared
to South Saurashtra.
The gap in fertilizer use in wheat crop is given in
Table 4. There was no gap in South Saurashtra in fertilizer
use. In North Saurashtra and South Saurashtra, the gap
of N ranged from 11.90 to 29.82 per cent and 1.76 to
18.10 per cent, respectively. The gap in respect of P was
found only in medium farmers in North Saurashtra. Thus,
the gap in use of N and P in wheat crop was observed in
North Saurashtra only.
The details about the determinants of fertilizer use
Table 2 : Gap between recommended doze and actual use level of fertilizers in cotton (kg/ha)
Particulars N P K
Zone Size Recommended
doze
160.00 0.00 0.00
Actual use 140.51 52.4 8.85 S
Gap -19.49 (12.18) +52.57 +8.85
Actual use 143.41 52.57 6.78 Me
Gap -16.19 (10.37) +52.57 +6.78
Actual use 132.67 62.16 5.46 L
Gap -27.33 (17.08) +62.16 +5.46
Actual use 135.44 59.41 6.08
South
Saurashtra
All
Gap -24.56 (15.35) +59.41 +6.08
Actual use 144.83 91.34 30.36 S
Gap -15.17 (9.48) +91.34 +30.36
Actual use 147.50 50.92 16.28 Me
Gap -12.50 (7.81) +50.92 +16.28
Actual use 126.77 46.68 15.66 L
Gap -33.23 (20.77) +46.68 +15.66
Actual use 136.24 53.32 17.65
North
Saurashtra
All
Gap -23.76 (14.85) +53.32 +17.65
Actual use 140.50 85.48 21.65 S
Gap -19.50 (12.19) +85.48 +21.65
Actual use 145.87 51.58 12.48 Me
Gap -14.13 (8.83) +51.58 +12.48
Actual use 130.51 56.50 9.19 L
Gap -29.49 (18.43) +56.50 +9.19
Actual use 135.78 56.36 11.06
Saurashtra
All
Gap -24.22 (15.14) +56.36 +11.06
(Figures in parentheses indicate per cent of gap)

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N.J. ARDESHNA
AND
K.A. KHUNT
Table 3 : Gap between recommended doze and actual use level of fertilizers in bajra (kg/ha)
Particulars N P K
Zone Size Recommended doze 80.00 40.00 0.00
Actual use 73.20 39.57 1.69 S
Gap -6.80 (8.50) -0.43 (1.08) +1.69
Actual use 74.99 38.49 0.00 Me
Gap -5.01 (6.26) -1.51 (3.78) 0.00
Actual use 73.89 38.74 0.00 L
Gap -6.11 (7.64) -1.26 (3.15) 0.00
Actual use 74.06 38.84 0.36
South
Saurashtra
All
Gap -5.94 (7.43) -1.16 (2.90) +0.36
Actual use 63.54 32.55 0.00 S
Gap -16.46 (20.58) -7.45 (18.63) 0.00
Actual use 62.14 34.80 0.00 Me
Gap -17.86 (22.23) -5.20 (13.00) 0.00
Actual use 68.78 26.59 6.18 L
Gap -11.22 (14.03) -13.41 (33.53) +6.18
Actual use 64.82 31.40 1.64
North
Saurashtra
All
Gap -15.18 (18.98) -8.60 (21.50) +1.64
Actual use 69.39 36.53 0.85 S
Gap -10.61 (18.98) -3.47 (8.68) +0.85
Actual use 71.39 37.53 0.00 Me
Gap -8.61 (10.76) -2.47 (6.18) 0.00
Actual use 73.17 37.02 0.88 L
Gap -6.83 (8.54) -2.98 (7.45) +0.88
Actual use 71.76 36.99 0.68
Saurashtra
All
Gap -8.24 (10.30) -3.01 (7.53) +0.68
(Figures in parentheses indicate per cent of gap)
Table 4 : Gap between recommended doze and actual use level of fertilizers in wheat (kg/ha)
Particulars N P K
Zone Size Recommended doze 120.00 60.00 0.00
Actual use 120.56 75.95 26.01 S
Gap +0.56 (0.47) +15.95 (26.58) +26.01
Actual use 124.08 87.09 20.74 Me
Gap +4.08 (3.40) +27.09 (45.15) +20.74
Actual use 121.19 87.59 12.60 L
Gap +1.19 (0.99) 27.59 (45.98) +12.60
Actual use 121.61 86.36 15.29
South
Saurashtra
All
Gap +1.61 (1.34) +26.36 (43.93) +15.29
Actual use 84.22 70.78 0.00 S
Gap -35.78 (29.82) +10.17 (16.95) 0.00
Actual use 85.70 57.59 1.72 Me
Gap -34.30 (28.58) -2.41 (4.02) +1.72
Actual use 105.72 81.22 0.00 L
Gap -14.28 (11.90) +21.22 (35.37) 0.00
Actual use 93.39 68.84 0.82
North
Saurashtra
All
Gap -26.61 (22.18) +8.84 (14.73) +0.82
Actual use 98.28 69.63 9.39 S
Gap -21.72 (18.10) +9.63 (16.05) +9.39
Actual use 101.55 69.77 9.57 Me
Gap -18.45 (15.38) +9.77 (16.28) +9.57
Actual use 117.89 66.23 9.91 L
Gap -2.11 (1.76) +6.23 (10.38) +9.91
Actual use 112.20 80.52 10.47
Saurashtra
All
Gap -7.80 (6.50) +20.52 (34.20 +10.47
(Figures in parentheses indicate per cent of gap)

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GAP IN FERTILIZER USE & ITS DETERMINANTS AMONG MAJOR SELECTED CROPS IN SAURASHTRA REGION OF GUJARAT
for groundnut, cotton, bajra and wheat crop are presented
in Table 5. It is revealed from the table that only the
coefficient of annual average rainfall was found positive
and significant in South Saurashtra zone as well as for
Saurashtra region, whereas coefficient of size of farm
was negatively significant in North Saurashtra zone in
groundnut.
In cotton crop the value of R
2
indicates poor fit of
the regression however, the results indicated that irrigated
area under the crop and cropping intensity has significant
impact on use of fertilizer in cotton crop in South
Saurashtra but size of farm has negative effect on fertilizer
use in this region. In North Saurashtra region, coefficient
of irrigated area under the crop was found significant and
positive (85.8968). Per farm gross income has also
significant and positive impact on fertilizer use in cotton in
North Saurashtra. In Saurashtra region, average annual
rainfall and one year lagged price have found to have
positive and significant impact on fertilizer consumption in
cotton crop.
It can be seen from the table that the effect of annual
average rainfall was found positive and significant for
South Saurashtra and North Saurashtra in bajra.
It was found from the results that one year lagged
price has positive and significant impact on in fertilizer
consumption in wheat in South Saurashtra. In North
Saurashtra region, the for irrigated area under the crop
(15.7017) and per farm gross income (0.0002), one year
lagged price (0.1264) and cropping intensity (0.9226) were
significant. In Saurashtra region, annual average rainfall
(1.0032) and cropping intensity (0.5953) showed positive
and significant effect on fertilizer use.
Conclusion:
The study revealed that the gap in respect of use of
N was observed in all the selected crops but in case of P,
the gap was observed only in bajra crop. The magnitude
of gap was higher generally in large farmers. Use of K
was found more than recommended dose in all the crops.
In Kharif crops like groundnut and bajra, rainfall has great
impact in determination of level of fertilizer use. Whereas
in crops like cotton and wheat, irrigated area, per farm
gross income, lagged prices and cropping intensity were
the major factors which determine the level of use of
fertilizers in these crops.
Policy implications:
– While arranging fer t ilizer use awareness,
campaign/ training/ demonstrations, organizers/ extension
agencies should target the large farmers to reduce the
fertilizer use gap in Sauarashtra region.

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Intern at. Res . J. ag ric. Eco. & Stat.; Vol. 2 (1 ); (March, 2011)
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– The factors like rainfall and gross irrigated area
should be taken into account while fixing the districtwise
targets.
Authors’ affiliations:
K.A. KHUNT, Post Graduate Institute of Agribusiness
Mana gement, J u naga dh Agr icult ur a l Univer s ity,
JUNAGADH (GUJARAT) INDIA
L
ITERATURE
C
ITED
Borlaug, N., (1996). Addressing FAI meeting on restoration of
soil fertilizer. Fertilizer News, 41 (3) : 51.
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N.J. ARDESHNA
AND
K.A. KHUNT