<div align="justify">Using neem-coated urea improves soil health, boosts agriculture yields and checks its diversion to non-agro activities, a study shows. <br /><br />The study, conducted at the behest of the Agriculture Ministry, also found that neem-coated urea significantly cuts down costs for plant protection, besides reducing pest diseases. Conducted by the Bengaluru-based Agricultural Development and Rural Transformation Centre at the Institute for Social and Economic Change, the study also revealed that neem-coated urea increases yield of paddy by 5.79%; sugarcane by 17.5%; maize by 7.14%; soybean by 7.14%; and tur/red gram by 16.88%. <br /><br />The study was aimed at finding how the Centre’s decision to make sale of neem-coated urea 100% mandatory has impacted crops since December 2015. The Centre’s move was to stop subsidised fertilizers being diverted to non-agriculture purposes like plywood/particle board making and textiles. The study found that neem-quoted urea has brought down the diversion, while also reducing the amount of fertiliser used in farming. Use of urea came down from 152 kg per hectare crop in 2014-15 to 149 kg in 2015-16, but the yield jumped from 2,028 kg per hectare in 2014-15 to 2,042 kg in 2015-16. <br /><br />Out of the estimated 30 million tonne annual domestic demand, 24 million tonnes of urea has been produced at home and the rest imported. Neem-coated urea is consumed less since, unlike normal urea, its conversion to nitrate is slow. Neem-coated urea releases nitrogen slowly and prolongs the urea’s action to keep the plants greener for long. <br /><br />Farmers mostly use urea when the plants turn yellow, an official said. The neem-coated variety is applied in smaller amount since the plants stay greener for long. This means the amount of fertilizer is significantly lower. <br /><br />With complaints that excessive urea affects soil health, encouraging use of neem-coated urea improves both the soil health and yield, the official added.<br /></div>
<div align="justify">Using neem-coated urea improves soil health, boosts agriculture yields and checks its diversion to non-agro activities, a study shows. <br /><br />The study, conducted at the behest of the Agriculture Ministry, also found that neem-coated urea significantly cuts down costs for plant protection, besides reducing pest diseases. Conducted by the Bengaluru-based Agricultural Development and Rural Transformation Centre at the Institute for Social and Economic Change, the study also revealed that neem-coated urea increases yield of paddy by 5.79%; sugarcane by 17.5%; maize by 7.14%; soybean by 7.14%; and tur/red gram by 16.88%. <br /><br />The study was aimed at finding how the Centre’s decision to make sale of neem-coated urea 100% mandatory has impacted crops since December 2015. The Centre’s move was to stop subsidised fertilizers being diverted to non-agriculture purposes like plywood/particle board making and textiles. The study found that neem-quoted urea has brought down the diversion, while also reducing the amount of fertiliser used in farming. Use of urea came down from 152 kg per hectare crop in 2014-15 to 149 kg in 2015-16, but the yield jumped from 2,028 kg per hectare in 2014-15 to 2,042 kg in 2015-16. <br /><br />Out of the estimated 30 million tonne annual domestic demand, 24 million tonnes of urea has been produced at home and the rest imported. Neem-coated urea is consumed less since, unlike normal urea, its conversion to nitrate is slow. Neem-coated urea releases nitrogen slowly and prolongs the urea’s action to keep the plants greener for long. <br /><br />Farmers mostly use urea when the plants turn yellow, an official said. The neem-coated variety is applied in smaller amount since the plants stay greener for long. This means the amount of fertilizer is significantly lower. <br /><br />With complaints that excessive urea affects soil health, encouraging use of neem-coated urea improves both the soil health and yield, the official added.<br /></div>
