China Curbs on Supply of Plant Nutrients May Hit Horticulture Crops

AFTER restricting supply of rare earth magnets used by the automobile sector in India, China has imposed curbs on supply of water-soluble fertiliser (WSF) ingredients, which may affect the horticulture sector.

- JITENDRA CHOUBEY @ New Delhi

WSF, a class of fertilisers easily absorbed by plants, is applied through drip irrigation, sprinklers or foliar spray, delivering nutrients directly to the leaves of plants instead of through the soil.

Horticulture industry is larger than India's grain economy and contributes around one-third to the agricultural GDP. The major horticulture crops that would be impacted are grapes, pomegranates, bananas, and polyhouse farming, where exotic fruits and vegetables are grown for exports.