In ancient times, 16 essential elements for plants were obtained through natural fertilizers. In those days, farmers used urine, faeces, and animal body parts as fertilizer for plants.
Red Indians used fish and wood as fertilizer. In China, substances excreted by animals were used. This maintained the fertility of the soil. In ancient times, wood ash was mixed in the soil to fulfil the requirement of potash and ground bones were mixed in the soil to fulfil the requirement of phosphorous.
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Morden Period
As human civilization developed, there was progress in the field of technology due to which fertilizer resources for humans became abundant. The first industrial factory was set up in the USA. Due to this the production of S.S.P and mixed fertilizer became straight.
The first fertilizer factory in independent India was set up in 1957 in Sidri (Bihar) which produces nitrogenous fertilizer. Since independence, India has made a lot of progress in this area. And the production of fertilizers in the world has been increasing. The demand has also been increasing in the same proportion.
In 1947, India's fertilizer production was 29.83 lakh tons and 20.05 lakh tons of fertilizer was imported. Between 1984 and 1985, imports fell to 13.6 lakh tons. The reason for the decrease in imports was not that the total fertilizer production in India increased, but the reason for this was that the farmers' ability to purchase fertilizers decreased.
Keeping this problem in mind, the government reduced the import of fertilizers. Due to this farmers got good prices for their crops and the government made fertilizers cheaper. Due to this, the farmers' ability to purchase fertilizers increased again.
Development of Fertilizer Industries in India
The first fertilizer factory in India was established in 1906 in Sunnykhet (Tamil Nadu) which made superphosphate. Its production capacity was 6400 tons of P2O5. The first industry of Synthetic Ammonia was established in 1941 in Bolagula (Karnataka). Another similar factory was set up in Trovecore (Kerala) near Udyog Mandal Cochin in the name of fertilizer chemical Trovecore, where wood was used as feedstock for ammonia production.
With independence, given the increasing use of fertilizers in India, a committee was formed whose job was to improve the condition of the factory and help in increasing production and setting up new plants. As a result, some nitrogen-containing fertilizer factories were opened.
Like Nagal, Namrup, Trombay, Rourkela, Gorakhpur and Nevali, all of these are based on different stocks. Till now about 60 phosphorous units have been established which are known as private sector or enterprises. Such as parry enterprises, J.K chemical dharan ji, maror ji private ltd. However, most of the nitrogenous fertilizer plants are established in the public sector.