India is second largest consumer of urea fertilizers after China
India ranks second in the production of nitrogenous fertilizers and third in phosphatic fertilizers whereas the requirement of potash is met through imports since there are limited reserves of potash in the country
It is one of the eight core industries
In India nearly 150 pesticides are registered
Around 40 per cent of the total cultivated area is treated with the pesticides
Andhra Pradesh is the leading consumer of pesticide followed by Maharashtra and Punjab.
The manufacture, sale, and distribution of fertilizers in the country is regulated by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

Pesticides under Ministry of Agriculture whereas fertilizers under Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers

No subsidy on fertilizer before 1977
Post 1977, because of oil crisis in 1973 that led to decline in consumption of fertilizers and increase of food prices, Govt provided subsidies to fertilizer manufacturers
Today urea is the only fertilizer which remains controlled [Nitrogen]
At present, there are 31 urea manufacturing units, out of which 28 urea units use Natural Gas (using domestic gas/LNG/CBM) as feedstock/ fuel and remaining 3 urea units use Naphtha as feedstock/ fuel.

Elements required in plant growth

Macro nutrients - Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium (NPK) , Sulfur, Calcium, Magnesium

Micro nutrients - Iron, Zinc, Manganese, Copper, Boron, Chlorine, Molybdenum,

For some plants, Sodium, Cobalt, Vanadium, Nickel, Silicon

Primary fertilizers - Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium (NPK)

Secondary fertilizers - calcium, magnesium and Sulphur

Micronutrients fertilizers - iron, zinc, boron, chloride etc.

Soils and Nutrients Table

Nitrogen	Integral part of chlorophyll Imparts vigorous vegetative growth and dark green color to plants
Phosphorous	Enzyme which helps the plant to fix light energy Integral part of nucleic acids and carriers of genetic information Stimulates root growth
Potassium	Ensures Carbon assimilation and transportation of carbon photosynthates, storage of sugars and proteins Potassium ion important for water regulation and uptake Ensures resistance to frost, drought and certain diseases
Sulfur	Forms part of two essential amino acids which are building blocks of proteins Found in Vitamin B1 and several other enzymes
Calcium	Required for plant growth, cell division and enlargement Vital for pollen growth and to prevent leaf fall
Magnesium	Occurs in Chlorophyll and also an activator of enzymes

Manures

Farm Yard Manure	Decomposed mixture of cattle dung and urine with straw and litter used as bedding material and residues from the fodder fed to the cattle	Traditional manure
Compost Manure	Well-rotted organic manure prepared by decomposition of organic matter is called Compost
Sheep and Goat droppings	Valuable organic manure.	Effective to all types of crops
Oil Cakes	Many varieties that not only has N but also P and K	Available within a week or 10 days after application
Bone Meal	Bones from slaughter houses, carcasses of all animals, meat industry constitute bone meal	Phosphate and some N
Fish Meal	Drying edible fish, carcasses of fish, wastes from fish industry	N, P, K and is suitable for application to all crops on all soils
Green Manuring	Ploughing green plants grown in the field or adding green plants from outside and incorporating them into soil for improving soil fertility
Green Leaf Manuring	Adding green leaf and green twigs from legume plants or trees and then incorporating them into the soil by ploughing
Chemical fertilizers	Typical fertilizers of N, P, K
Bio-fertilizers	Increasing no.of microorganisms such as strains of nitrogen fixing, phosphate solubilizing, cellulolytic microorganisms and accelerating the microbial processes which augment the availability of nutrients

Insecticides Act 1968

To regulate the import, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution and use of insecticides with a view to preventing risk to human beings and animals
In India, Agriculture ministry regulates the manufacture, sale, transport, distribution, export, import and use of pesticides under the 1968 law.

Besides, the Central Insecticides Board advises the central and state governments on technical matters
However, Ministry of Health and Family welfare monitors and regulates pesticide levels in food, and sets limits for residues in food commodities

For effective enforcement of Insecticides Act 1968
The Central Insecticides Board advises the Central and State Governments on technical matters arising out of the administration of this Act
Registration Committee is to register insecticide after scrutinizing their formulae and verifying claims made by the importer or the manufacturer , as the case may be, as regards their efficacy and safety to human being and animals
Issues guidelines for application of pesticides, their dosage, minimum intervals to be maintained and levels of toxicity

It is an eco-friendly approach which aims at keeping pest population at below economic threshold levels.
It does that by employing all available alternate pest control methods and techniques such as cultural, mechanical and biological with emphasis on use of biopesticides and pesticides of plant-origin like Neem formulations.
The use of chemical pesticides is advised as a measure of last resort when pest population in the crop crosses economic threshold levels
National Policy statement on IPM was made in 1985 and later supported by National policy on Agriculture - 2000 and National policy on Farmers - 2007