Soil fertility is falling alarmingly across the upazilas of Manikganj as farmers apply chemical fertiliser well beyond the recommended dose, cutting yields and hurting farm incomes, Krishi Shomoy's Manikganj correspondent reports. District agriculture office figures show 15,917 tonnes of urea, 5,470 tonnes of TSP, 12,201 tonnes of DAP and 7,202 tonnes of MOP allocated for the current aman and early-vegetable season, more than last year and sufficient, the office says.

Marginal farmers said they have long used extra fertiliser in the hope of higher yields; the same dose no longer gives the old yield, so some, unsure of the right rate, apply still more. Declining use of organic manure has raised concern about soil health.

Sagar Gazi of Gazipara in Krishnapur union said early vegetables need more fertiliser and frequent monsoon rain washes it away, so several applications are needed. Mishuk Gazi of the same area said that six years ago 500 decimals of land needed about 10 maunds of fertiliser and now needs about 12, because the land is cropped again and again. Some farmers also complained of distributors creating artificial shortages, charging above the fixed price and selling substandard fertiliser.

Jesmin Jerin, sub-assistant agriculture officer for Atigram union, said soil should hold five to seven per cent organic matter but many fields have dropped below five per cent; with less organic manure, fertility falls, farmers use more chemical fertiliser, demand and production costs rise and the soil's qualities are lost.

Agricultural researcher Billal Hossain said excess chemical fertiliser is steadily reducing beneficial soil micro-organisms; organic manure must be used alongside chemicals to protect soil health, and farmers need to be made aware of correct use, or crop production will suffer.

Reporting: Manikganj correspondent, Krishi Shomoy.

Source: Krishi Shomoy