Use of salt in cropland: A disaster in the offing

A large number of farmers are using salt on cropland unscrupulously hoping to get higher yields in various upazilas of Natore especially in Naldanga. However, experts have suggested that the practice will cause long term damage to the cropland and diminish the fertility of land.

According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), 60,750 hectares of land have been brought under paddy cultivation, 23,852 hectares under wheat, 4756 hectares under onion and 21,970 hectares under garlic and other crops. Most of the farmers are using salt on their lands.

Notably, farmers are applying iodized salt mixed with chemical fertilizers which is likely to reduce soil fertility and long term loss of arable land.

Akhtaruzzaman Rentu, a farmer of Sheikhpara village in Naldanga upazila, said he is aware of the damage caused by applying salt, yet he is doing it hoping to get a better yield.

Naldanga Upazila Agriculture Officer Faujia Ferdous said "Some unscrupulous farmers apply salt on onion land and other crops for higher yield. We are advising the farmers at the field level not to apply salt to maintain the quality of the land."

She also claimed that the agriculture department is working to create public awareness on this issues but the number of farmers using salt is not high.

Supendranath Biswas, a lecturer at agriculture department of Naldanga Shaheed Nazmul Haque Government College, said salt is composed of sodium chlorine. Soil poisoning occurs when the amount of sodium chlorine in the soil increases. Adding salt to the soil will reduce the productivity even if it yields good results. So it is not right to apply edible salt in any way.

Md Mahmudul Faruk, deputy director of DAE in Natore, said the use of salt burns the crop and prevents its spread ultimately turning it yellow. Adding salt to the soil breaks down the soil structure so that the soil does not have the right amount of water and air. If there is not enough water and air in the soil, the roots of the tree will not be able to breathe properly. Trees cannot absorb water easily.