Uttarakhand - Region Profile

Uttarakhand is mainly known for lying in the laps of the Himalayas, the Bhabhar and the Terai. Uttarakhand has a total area of 5.3 million hectare, of which 93% is mountainous and 64% is covered by forest. According to the 2011 census of India, Uttarakhand has a population of 10.1 million. The population density of the state is 189 people per square kilometer having a 2001–2011 decadal growth rate of 19.17%. Like most of India, agriculture is one of the most significant sectors of the economy of Uttarakhand. Basmati rice, wheat, soybeans, groundnuts, coarse cereals, pulses, and oil seeds are the most widely grown crops. Table 1 illustrates the current area, productivity and production statistics of major crops in Uttarakhand.




Nutrient consumption in Uttarakhand in the past decade is given in Fig. 2. Fertilizer consumption in Uttarakhand at 162.8 thousand MT of nutrients during 2013-14, witnessed an increase of 6.7% over the previous year. The consumption of total fertilizer nutrients increased both in Kharif 2013 and Rabi 2013-14 over the corresponding seasons of the previous year. Kharif : Rabi share in total fertilizer consumption changed from 53:47 during 2012-13 to 52:48 during 2013-14.

During full year 2013-14, consumption of N and P₂O₅ increased and K₂O declined. The consumption of N at 132.2 thousand MT and P₂O₅ at 24.1 thousand MT during 2013-14 recorded increase of 9% and 1.3% respectively, over 2012-13. The consumption of K₂O at 6.5 thousand MT declined by 12.6% during the period. NPK use ratio changed from 16.3:3.2:1 during 2012-13 to 20.3:3.7:1 during 2013-14. The per hectare consumption of total fertilizer nutrients declined from 134.7 kg to 143.8 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 Uttarakhand -2012-13

Parameters	Rice	Wheat	Maize	Total Cereals	Gram	Total Pulses	Total Foodgrains	Total Oilseeds	Sugarcane
Area	262.8	358.1	28	870.6	0.5	61	931.6	32.2	109.9
Production	579.8	858.2	40.2	1776.5	-	51.3	1827.7	39.7	6784.8
Productivity	2206	2396	1437	2040	830	841	1962	1235	61736

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 Uttarakhand (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	262.8	579.8	20.1	11.2	30	11653.98	6493.76	17394
Wheat	358.1	858.2	24.4	8.6	32.8	20940.08	7380.52	28148.96
Maize	28	40.2	8.2	3.1	15.5	329.64	124.62	623.1
Total Pulses	61	51.3	40	5	20	2052	256.5	1026
Total Oilseeds	32.2	39.7	54	14	46	2143.8	555.8	1826.2
Sugarcane	109.9	6784.8	1.7	0.2	2	11534.16	1356.96	13569.6
		Total removal by major crops				48653.66	16168.16	62587.86
		Total fertilizer consumption in Uttarakhand				121290	23780	7440
		Consumption * Efficiency factor				48516	7134	5208
		Balance/Deficit				-137.66	-9034.16	-57379.9

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