The government has been implementing Sub-Mission on Plant-protection and Plant Quarantine Scheme, under which Integrated Pest Management is promoted to educate the farmers about the judicious use of chemical pesticides. Bio-pesticides and bio-control measures are also being promoted.
| Year | Percentage change over previous year |
| 2014 – 15 | -0.2 |
| 2015-16 | 0.6 |
| 2016-17 (Third Revised Estimate) | 6.8 |
| 2017-18 (Second Revised Estimate) | 5.9 |
| 2018-19 | 2.4 |
Hybrid seeds resisted pests. A spray of arsenic chemicals to control pests enabled farmers to find ease. All these finally imperilled human health, compelling some section to return to the organic methods of farming.
Fertilizers are essential to improve soil health and to sustain higher agricultural productivity in the country. Accordingly, the Government of India (GoI) has been promoting soil test based integrated nutrient management for balanced and judicious use Of fertilizers. Soil Health Card Scheme has been implemented since the 2015-16. Soil Health Card provides crop-wise recommendation on appropriate dosage of fertilizers to be applied. Pesticides play an important role in sustaining agricultural production by protecting crops from pests. The Union government has been implementing Sub- Mission on Plant-protection and Plant Quarantine Scheme, under which Integrated Pest Management is promoted to educate the farmers about the judicious use of chemical pesticides. Bio-pesticides and bio-control measures are also being promoted. Gross Value Added (GVA) Of Agricultural and allied sectors’ share in total GVA of the country has increased from 16.1% in 2018-19to 16.5% in 2019-20.
