Regional Variation in Fertilizer Use Efficiency: Linking NPK Consumption to Crop Productivity in Western Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

This study analyses the technical efficiency of NPK fertilizer use across four Western Uttar Pradesh districts Baghpat, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, and Shamli using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) over crop seasons from 2011–12 to 2022–23. It evaluates fertilizer use efficiency for major crops, including wheat, sugarcane, rice, maize, barley, pulses, and oilseeds, by assessing yield and production sensitivity to nutrient inputs. DEA results show consistently high efficiency for wheat and sugarcane (yield 0.90, production 0.91) and Rice (yield 0.90, production 0.86), with Shamli leading regionally and Muzaffarnagar performing close behind. In contrast, pulses and coarse cereals such as millet and gram display low and unstable efficiency, indicating agronomic and management limitations. Meerut exhibits notable efficiency in lentil cultivation, while Baghpat shows potential for improvement. The stability of efficiency under small nutrient changes suggests broader management systems drive performance more than individual fertilizer adjustments. Overall, the findings highlight the need for district-specific nutrient management strategies, policy interventions, and targeted research to enhance efficiency in underperforming crops while scaling best practices from high-performing regions to support sustainable agricultural intensification.