In India the use of artificial fertilizers was first initiated in

🔑 Key Points
Fertilizer
→ Fertilizer is any material of natural or synthetic origin added to the soil to supply one or more plant nutrients.

🌿 Types of Fertilizers
🔸 Natural Fertilizers
→ Made from organic materials that provide nutrients to the soil. Examples: animal manure, crop wastes, compost, wood ash, etc.

🔸 Artificial Fertilizers
→ Plant nutrients produced through chemical processes to nurture the soil and foster plant growth. Examples: Ammonium Nitrate, Ammonium Phosphate, Superphosphate, etc.
→ Artificial fertilizers are manufactured from petrol or natural gas.
→ They can contain a variety of nutrients including nitrates, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.

📌 Important Points
→ In India, the use of artificial fertilizers began in 1896 with the use of imported Chilean nitrate.
→ By about 1905, other fertilizers like calcium nitrate, calcium cyanamide, ammonium sulphate, superphosphate, and potassium sulphate were also imported and used.
→ The history of the Indian fertilizer industry dates back to 1906, when the first fertilizer factory opened in Ranipet (Tamil Nadu).