Farmers get soil of their fields tested

Jalandhar, August 13

With a large number of farmers showing keen interest in getting the soil of their fields tested, the soil health cards are benefiting the farmers extensively in the district by minimising their cultivation cost, thereby enhancing their profit.

Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said the Agriculture Department had so far collected around 29,711 soil samples from each block of the district including Jalandhar west Jalandhar East, Nakodar, Bhogpur Nurmahal, Shahkot, Lohian, Rurka Kalan (1750), Phillaur and Adampur and has also issued 26,114 soil health cards, through which they could assess the needs of their land and use the fertilizers judiciously.

Sharma said under this scheme, the experts are analysing various soil parameters including salt, acid content besides nitrogen, phosphorous, potash, zinc, iron and sulphur in the soil and reports are being sent to the farmers concerned. The reports are being uploaded on the website of the department along with the names of village, farmer and the district.

He revealed that the state has around 60 soil analysing labs and three in Jalandhar. The district has 2.36710 lakh hectare area under agriculture and one soil sample is being procured from the area of 12.5 acres, he informed.