Discuss the significance of the indigenous manufacturing of Calcium Nitrate & Boronated Calcium Nitrate in India.

Calcium Nitrate along with Boron as fortified fertilizers are used as a water-soluble fertilizer in agriculture. This product is also used in wastewater treatment and to increase the strength of cement concrete. Calcium and Boron as nutrients are of immense importance for the vital growth, physical strength and flowering fertilizer.

Calcium nitrate and Boronated calcium nitrate is being manufactured for the first time in India. Till now, it was imported from other countries. Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals India Ltd (GSFC) launched an indigenous variety of calcium nitrate and Boronated calcium nitrate recently.

Significance:

• The indigenous variety of Calcium Nitrate and Boronated calcium nitrate will provide a quality product at a cheaper rate to the farmers in the country than the imported ones
• It is one of the giant step towards “AatmaNirbhar Krishi” in particular and “AatmaNirbhar Bharat” in general.
• As India imported around 1.25 lakh tonne of calcium nitrate at Rs 225 crore last year and 76% was imported from China, indigenous manufacturing of the same will save India a significant amount of foreign exchange.
• This indigenous manufacturing will provide a further impetus towards making the fertilizer-based chemical sector self-reliant.
• As productions gets increased over time, India’s dependence on imported Calcium Nitrate will become lesser drastically.
• GSFC work on manufacturing this will encourage and motivate other Indian fertilizer manufacturing companies to manufacture other important imported fertilizers in India giving a boost to domestic market.
• It will further encourage scientific research in fertilizer sector in India.

Hence, this work will be an important shot towards making India self-reliant and promote ‘Make in India’ and ‘Make for India’ initiative.