Agricultural produce from J&K, such as saffron, apples, rajma, and millets, is renowned for its high quality and has long been in high demand. However, soil productivity has declined after decades of chemical inputs.

Chemical input has become an integral part of farming today. Diammonium phosphate, commonly known as DAP, is used in the early phases, followed by urea in the spring, and potash is added as and when suppliers recommend. The quantities of each of these chemicals keep on silently increasing each year as soil becomes resistant. Very few farmers stop and think about the impact.

The issue is at the root- the soil. Soil is not simply a growing medium. It is a living entity full of micro- and macro-organisms, and decaying organic matter. Good soil should retain the right amount of water and slowly break down its constituents over time to release nutrients the plants use throughout the growing season. Chemical fertilisation delivers nutrients straight to the plant. The soil the plant grows in is completely forgotten. As a farmer relying entirely on chemical fertilisation and burning crop residue, you are compromising the health of the soil you are growing your crop in, and soon enough, you will have no choice but to depend entirely on external fertilisation and be stuck in a........

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