Gandhinagar, Feb 17 (IANS) As part of efforts to strengthen sustainable agriculture, Gujarat has issued Soil Health Cards to 2.19 crore farmers under the Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme, aimed at promoting scientific soil management and improving crop productivity.

The scheme was first introduced in 2003–04 when the current Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, was serving as Chief Minister of Gujarat.

The initiative made Gujarat the first state in the country to implement a structured soil testing and advisory programme for farmers.

The programme was later expanded nationwide in 2015–16. Under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the state has continued the implementation of the scheme with the stated objective of enhancing farmers’ incomes and maintaining soil fertility.

The Soil Health Card provides farmers with details of 12 soil parameters — Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Organic Carbon (OC), Sulphur (S), Boron (B) and Manganese (Mn).

Based on laboratory analysis, farmers receive scientific recommendations on the appropriate type and quantity of fertilisers to be applied.

According to official data, the first phase of the scheme between 2003–04 and 2010–11 covered more than 43.03 lakh farmers in Gujarat. During the second phase from 2011–12 to 2015–16, around 46.92 lakh farmers were issued Soil Health Cards.

In the third phase, from 2016–17 onwards under the Central government programme, over 1.25 crore farmers in the state have received the cards.

In 2024–25, a total of 6,23,844 soil samples were collected through the SHC portal, of which 6,23,295 samples were analysed. For 2025–26, the testing target for Gujarat has been set at 6,25,513 samples.

So far, 6,13,355 samples have been collected, and 4,86,142 have been analysed, with the remaining under examination.

At present, 19 soil testing laboratories and one microelement testing laboratory are functioning under the Agriculture Department in Gujarat.

Each laboratory has an annual capacity to test between 10,000 and 11,000 samples. In addition, 26 private soil testing laboratories have been established at the rural level with government assistance, each capable of analysing around 3,000 soil samples annually.

Babubhai Patel, a farmer from Dhansura in Aravalli district, said the recommendations provided under the scheme helped him limit fertiliser use.

“I was advised to apply only the required quantity of fertilisers. This reduced my input costs and improved my crop yield,” he said.

–IANS

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