India's Agriculture Boosted by Record Harvests but Threatened by Soil Health Decline

India has achieved a record foodgrain output of over 350 million tonnes, driven by intensive cereal cultivation, high‑yield varieties and extensive fertilizer use. Government programmes such as the Pulses and Oilseeds Mission, PM‑Kisan cash transfers and crop‑insurance schemes have expanded farmer income, infrastructure and market access, turning agriculture into a broader rural‑development engine.

At the same time, soil health is deteriorating. Nationwide soil‑health cards reveal that around 73 % of samples are low in nitrogen and many lack essential micronutrients such as zinc and iron. Heavy reliance on nitrogen‑rich urea and monocropping of rice and wheat have reduced soil organic carbon, impairing water retention, nutrient cycling and long‑term fertility. The decline threatens the sustainability of India's high‑yield system and could undermine future food and nutritional security despite current production gains.