Kerala - Region Profile

Kerala is a state located in the south-west region of India on the Malabar Coast. Spread over 3.88 million hectare with a population of 33.3 million persons, it is bordered by Karnataka to the north and north east, Tamil Nadu to the east and south, and the Laccadive Sea to the west. Kerala has the lowest population growth rate; 3.44% and a density of 819 people per km². Lying between north latitudes 8°18' and 12°48' and east longitudes 74°52' and 77°22', Kerala experiences the humid equatorial tropic climate. Nearly half of Kerala's people are dependent on agriculture alone for income. Kerala produces 97% of the national output of black pepper and accounts for 85% of the area under natural rubber in the country. Coconut, tea, coffee, cashew, and spices—including cardamom, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg—comprise a critical agricultural sector. The key agricultural staple is rice, with varieties grown in extensive paddy fields. Home state gardens comprise a significant portion of the agricultural sector. Table 1 illustrates the current area, productivity and production statistics of major crops in Kerala.



Nutrient consumption in Kerala in the past decade is given in Fig. 2. Total fertilizer nutrient consumption at 266.2 thousand MT during 2013-14 in Kerala registered decline of 4% over the previous year. The growth in consumption was up in Kharif and down in Rabi seasons. During Kharif 2013, total nutrients consumption went up by 42.9% and it fell by 34% in Rabi 2013-14 over the respective seasons of the previous year. Kharif : Rabi share in total fertilizer consumption changed from 39:61 during 2012-13 to 58:42 during 2013-14.

During full year, the consumption of N at 124 thousand MT witnessed a marginal increase of 0.7% over 2013-14. Conversely, P₂O₅ consumption at 55.5 thousand MT and K₂O at 86.7 thousand MT in 2013-14 declined by 11.9% and 4.7%, respectively, during the period. NPK use ratio changed marginally from 1.4:0.7:1 during 2012-13 to 1.4:0.6:1 during 2013-14. The per hectare consumption of total fertilizer nutrients declined from 104.1 kg to 100 kg during the period. 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).

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

Parameters	Rice	Ragi	Jowar	Total Cereals	Total Pulses	Total Foodgrains	Total Oilseeds	Sugarcane
Area	197.3	0.1	0.2	197.8	3.1	200.9	1	1.7
Production	508	0.1	0.1	508.6	3.2	511.8	1.1	165.7
Productivity	2577	1100	550	2571	1042	2547	1045	95241

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 Kerala (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	197.3	508	20.1	11.2	30	10210.8	5689.6	15240
Wheat	0	0	24.4	8.6	32.8	0	0	0
Maize	0	0	8.2	3.1	15.5	0	0	0
Total Pulses	3.1	3.2	40	5	20	128	16	64
Total Oilseeds	1	1.1	54	14	46	59.4	15.4	50.6
Sugarcane	1.7	165.7	1.7	0.2	2	281.69	33.14	331.4
		Total removal by major crops				10679.89	5754.14	15686
		Total fertilizer consumption in Kerela				123150	62980	91050
		Consumption * Efficiency factor				49260	18894	63735
		Balance/Deficit				38580.11	13139.86	48049

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

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