Bihar - Region Profile

The largest Eastern Indian state – Bihar lies in the north eastern part of India (between 24°20’11’’ and 27°31’15’’N latitudes and 83°19’50’’ and 88°17’40’’E longitudes) and occupies an area of 9.4 million hectares, out of which total cropped area is 7.5 million hectares. The state has a total population of about 103.8 millions with a density of 880 per sq. km. Annual foodgrain production is 11.9 million tonnes (Mt), with an average productivity of 1460 kg/ha. Table 1 illustrates the current area, productivity and production statistics of major crops in Bihar.

Nutrient consumption in Bihar in the past decade is given in Fig. 2. The consumption of total fertilizer nutrients in Bihar at 1.261 million MT during 2013-14 was 17.4% lower than the previous year’s level. N and P₂O₅ consumption reduced while K₂O consumption increased during the period. The consumption of N at 0.955 million MT and P₂O₅ at 0.210 million MT during 2013-14 declined by 14.1% and 35.6%, respectively, over 2012-13. The consumption of K₂O at 0.096 million MT increased by 6.6% during the period. Consequently, NPK use ration changed significantly from 12.3:3.6:1 during 2012-13 to 9.9:2.2:1 during 2013-14. The consumption of total nutrients declined both in Kharif and Rabi seasons by 18.8% and 16.4%, respectively over the previous seasons. Kharif : Rabi share in consumption of total nutrients remained unchanged at 41:59 during 2013-14. The consumption of total nutrients per hectare of gross cropped area declined from 199.7 kg during 2012-13 to 164.9 kg during 2013-14. Using the area and production of major crops, the total nutrient (N, P₂O₅ and K₂O) removal by each crop was calculated and a nutrient balance sheet was prepared (table 2).

But it is quite evident from the diagram that fertilizer consumption in the state is still highly skewed towards N. This sub-optimal and imbalanced nutrient usage is causing nutrient mining leading to depletion of inherent soil fertility. An N-driven fertilizer use pattern is a major cause of P, K and S mining in most states of India. Using only, or largely using N, the farmers are making their soils highly deficient in P, K, S and other nutrients, holding back yields, profits and N-use efficiency itself.

Table 1: Latest Crop Production Statistics of Bihar- 2012-13

Parameters	Rice	Wheat	Maize	Total Cereals	Gram	Total Pulses	Total Foodgrains	Total Oilseeds	Sugarcane	Jute#
Area	3298.9	2207.7	685.6	6220.3	61.5	515.8	6736.1	128	250.3	123.1
Production	7529.3	5357.2	2475.9	15396.8	86.2	542.8	15939.6	143.3	12741.4	1490.2
Productivity	2282	2427	3611	2475	1402	1052	2366	1120	50896	2180

Area ('000 ha); Production ('000 tonnes); Productivity (kg/ha); # Production and Productivity in 1000 bales of 180 kg each

Table 2: Nutrient balance sheet for major crops of Bihar (2012-13)

Crop	Area (in '000 ha)	Production (in '000 tonnes)	Nutrient Removal (kg/tonne)			Total Removal (tonnes)
			N	P2O5	K2O	N	P2O5	K2O
Rice	3298.9	7529.3	20.1	11.2	30	151338.9	84328.16	225879
Wheat	2207.7	5357.2	24.4	8.6	32.8	130715.7	46071.92	175716.16
Maize	685.6	2475.9	8.2	3.1	15.5	20302.38	7675.29	38376.45
Total Pulses	515.8	542.8	40	5	20	21712	2714	10856
Total Oilseeds	128	143.3	54	14	46	7738.2	2006.2	6591.8
Sugarcane	250.3	12741.4	1.7	0.2	2	21660.38	2548.28	25482.8
Jute	123.1	1490.2	23.5	13	41.7	35019.7	19372.6	62141.34
		Total removal by major crops				388487.3	164716.5	545043.55
		Total fertilizer consumption in Bihar				1111160	325600	90030
		Consumption * Efficiency factor				444464	97680	63021
		Balance/Deficit				55976.73	-67036.45	-482022.55

Efficiency of N=40%; P2O5= 30%; and K2O=70%

*Crop production and fertilizer use data are retrieved from Fertiliser Statistics, 2013-14, The Fertiliser Association of India, New Delhi