IPL Initiatives – Beyond Business

For the past six decades, the pioneering efforts of IPL have established the importance of potassium for crops. However, till about four decades back, very little basic research was being attempted and scientists as well as administrators were largely relying on foreign information. At the same time, the fact that Potash was and still is an entirely imported and a very expensive commodity, was an important consideration.

When it comes to rural India, IPL initiatives go beyond business and commerce boundaries. IPL promoted Potash Research Institute of India (PRII) in the year 1977 as a National Level Research Institute and provided funds of Rs.45 millions to the Institute from its own resources. The primary objectives being, to conduct and encourage research on potassium and related plant nutrients in order to ensure better soil management and crop production, to serve as a medium for the exchange of information on the use of potassium in agriculture and to cooperative with various universities and institutes in fulfillment of these tasks.