Indian fertiliser industry has done a yeoman service to protect and preserve food security in India over the past 6 decades. Fertilisers be organic or chemical, need to be promoted extensively and intensively, so that the end consumer is willing to change his pattern of usage and thereby ensuring that bountiful harvests are reaped year on year from the same piece of land which is subject to erosion and environmental ravages. Monsoons play a vital part in the Indian rural economy in either triggering rural prosperity or plunging the country into economic gloom. Whether it is a bountiful year or a year ravaged by drought, the expenditure incurred by a farmer in India on plant nutrition is substantially high and therefore fertiliser use promotion, under the integrated nutrient management programme is vital. Per kilogram cost of fertilisers vary substantially at the farm gate, putting further pressure on fertiliser programmes, promoted by companies. Over decades of continuous food production, Indian soils have deteriorated to such abysmal levels that most tracts of the so called agriculturally cultivated tracts are actually very poor in soil organic carbon and vital micronutrients, etc. Infact today the entire country's soils are deficient in soil organic carbon as well as primary and micronutrients. In the years to come the demographic shift as well as changing food habits would place a greater demand on the different types of food, ie pulses, cereals, coarse millets, fruits, greens, vegetables, etc., triggering a totally different pattern of nutrient demand. The author in this paper presents a comprehensive business strategy for promotion of integrated nutrient management.
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