Kerala's fertilizer cost per hectare for paddy cultivation sees 150% rise

Kerala’s fertilizer cost soared 150 per cent in 2008-18 period, government data showed, though the figure is far less compared to other southern states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, but higher than Tamil Nadu.

Fertilizer is one of the biggest factors that contribute to the cost of cultivation and southern states have been bearing the brunt of highest operational cost of fertilizer for paddy cultivation.

According to data curated from government sources by India Data Portal, between 2008 and 2018, the southern states of Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have witnessed over 150 per cent increase in cost accrued by usage of fertilizer for paddy cultivation.

Kerala witnessed 150 per cent increase in operational cost of fertilizer for paddy. The cost of fertilizer used per hectare, which was around Rs 2,000 in 2008 grew steadily to over Rs 5,100 in 2018, data curated by Indian Data Portal show.

The increase in cost in Kerala, however, was the least when compared to other southern states.

In Karnataka the operational cost of fertilizer for paddy was under Rs 4,000 per hectare in 2008 and it steeply rose to Rs 9,778 per hectare in 2018, a whopping 203% rise in input cost in the decade preceding 2018.

Farmers in Andhra Pradesh, who spent slightly less than that of Karnataka (Under Rs 4,000 per hectare) saw the fertilizer cost for paddy rising to Rs 7,786 per hectare by 2018, a 166 per cent rise from what it was in 2008.

Tamil Nadu witnessed a 112% rise in fertilizer cost for paddy cultivation between 2008 and 2018 as per the data collected by India Data Portal from Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. Farmers in Tamil Nadu spent just under Rs 7,000 per hectare of paddy cultivation on fertilizers in 2018, as per the official data.

(By Special Arrangement with India Data Portal)