Indian farmers have purchased 1.14 million tonnes (mt) of organic manure in the ongoing kharif sowing season, a sharp increase from 324,000 tonnes in the corresponding period last year.
While India still relies heavily on urea and chemical fertilizers to protect crop yields, especially for water-heavy crops like paddy, this 3.5-fold surge in organic manure points to a changing tide.
Mint looks into the forces driving this shift as cultivators increasingly prioritize long-term soil health, sustainability, and input efficiency over traditional chemicals.
Why have organic manure purchases increased sharply this kharif season?
This surge reflects a growing awareness among farmers about how excessive chemical fertilizers damage soil health. Years of overdependence on urea and synthetic nutrients have depleted soil organic carbon and lowered water retention. To counter this, cultivators are increasingly blending organic inputs with conventional fertilizers to restore their land.
Government programmes promoting natural farming and balanced nutrient use have also contributed to the increase. Officials said awareness campaigns and easier availability of organic manure products have helped expand adoption, particularly in states focusing on sustainable agriculture practices.
The trend is also being shaped by weather concerns. With forecasts of a below-normal monsoon at 90% of the long period average this year, farmers are seeking ways to improve soil moisture retention, an area where organic manure offers advantages.
Are higher chemical fertilizer prices or supply concerns also pushing farmers toward alternatives?
While the government heavily subsidizes and controls the prices of key chemical fertilizers like urea, experts believe that anxiety over timely availability—combined with worries about soil degradation—is pushing farmers toward organic alternatives.
Unpredictable global markets and past supply-chain disruptions have made cultivators wary of shortages during peak sowing windows.
Despite these concerns, the government maintains that the country has ample fertilizer stocks. For the 2026 kharif season, the department of agriculture & farmers welfare has projected a total requirement of 38.39 million tonnes (mt). Current reserves are 19.57 mt, comfortably covering more than 51% of the entire season's needs well in advance. This is significantly higher than the usual stocking level of about 33% at this time of the year.
Also, India has already secured about 2.5 mt of urea, 1.5 mt of diammonium phosphate (DAP), and 1 mt of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) fertilizers, which will arrive at Indian ports in June-July.
Umendra Dutt, executive director of Kheti Virasat Mission, which promotes natural and organic farming, said, “The increase in organic fertilizer sales is largely being driven by greater awareness within the farming community regarding balanced fertilization and long-term productivity. While there are concerns over international supply chains due to the West Asia crisis, its influence on farmer behaviour remains minimal so far.”
Which states are leading in organic fertilizer adoption?
Government data shows northern and western states leading the trend. Punjab emerged as the top buyer with 288,000 tonnes, followed closely by Uttar Pradesh (276,000 tonnes). Haryana (137,000 tonnes), Madhya Pradesh (127,000 tonnes), Gujarat (98,000 tonnes), and Maharashtra (84,000 tonnes) also recorded large purchases.
The trend may also help reduce excessive use of conventional fertilizers, especially urea, though experts caution that organic alternatives are unlikely to replace such fertilizers entirely in the short term. India currently has a domestic stock of about 2.28 mt of organic fertilizer.
What steps is the government taking to promote organic fertilizers?
The Centre has been stepping up efforts to promote organic fertilizers through the Market Development Assistance (MDA) Scheme, aimed at boosting products manufactured by GOBARdhan and compressed biogas (CBG) plants.
GOBARdhan (galvanizing organic bio-agro resources dhan) is a flagship initiative by the Indian government that promotes the conversion of cattle dung, agricultural residues, and other organic waste into valuable resources like biogas, CBG, and organic manure. Under the programme, the government provides financial assistance of ₹1,500 per metric tonne for fermented organic manure (FOM), liquid FOM, and phosphate-rich organic manure (PROM).
As of 4 March 2026, around 120 CBG plants had been registered on the integrated fertilizer management system (iFMS) portal to facilitate the sale of these organic fertilizers.
The government has also encouraged fertilizer marketing companies (FMCs) to sign agreements with CBG operators to improve market access and last-mile availability. So far, 44 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) have been signed for marketing FOM, LFOM and PROM.
The department of fertilizers has also directed FMCs to intensify farmer outreach programmes nationwide. These initiatives include field demonstrations, technical sessions on fertilizer dosage and crop-specific application methods, and awareness campaigns highlighting the benefits of organic inputs.
Will increased organic manure use reduce India’s fertilizer subsidy burden?
The sharp rise in organic manure purchases could marginally reduce India’s dependence on chemical fertilizers, but experts caution that the impact on the country’s ballooning fertilizer subsidy bill may remain limited in the near term.
Higher organic manure application could lower fertilizer demand over time and potentially ease subsidy pressures, especially if adoption widens across major cropping regions. However, they argue that an immediate reduction in subsidy outgo is unlikely as organic fertilizers usage is still low compared to conventional fertilizers. Any meaningful impact on the subsidy burden would depend on sustained adoption, crop patterns, and improvements in productivity from organic inputs.
The department of fertilizers has sought a 100% increase in the fertilizer subsidy allocation to ₹3.5 trillion for FY27 from the finance ministry as crude oil and natural gas prices—critical inputs in fertilizer production—have remained elevated amid geopolitical uncertainty. The government had budgeted ₹1.77 trillion for fertilizer subsidies in FY27.