The Soil Health Card Scheme was announced by the Government in March 2015. Experts from testing laboratories analyze varied soil samples and put-up their recommendations on the soil type, type of fertilizers to be used, crops that can be cultivated and the supplement nutrients that needs to be added along for the soil type. The soil health card will help the farmers to understand the crop-wise recommendations of fertilizers and supplemental nutrients that is required for each type of soil.
The micro-nutrients deficiency of the soil could also be determined through this method and appropriate measures to deal with it would be suggested to the farmers through the card. In this regard, here in Coimbatore, District Collector Hariharan has advised the farmers on the usage of the soil health card.
'Soil health card that is being issued to the farmers can help them (farmers) determine the soil health and take necessary planting decision like application of necessary nutrients to the soil by means of fertilizers and soil nutrients. The soil health card helps to continuously monitor the fertility of soil. Recommendations are made based on the soil health as per the soil health card. As this helps in application of right amount of organic and synthetic fertilizers it helps to reduce the cost of agriculture and also minimizes the hazard caused by applications of fertilizers to the soil' said District Collector TN Hariharan.
This scheme has been implemented in Tamil Nadu since 2015-2016. Through this scheme soil samples are collected in a systematic way using grid system. Recommendations on applications of fertilizer are based on the findings. The soil health card is issued free of cost to the farmers. He also urged that the farmers should make use of this soil health card and should be benefited from reduction of input costs and high yield.