Farming

Parastarai village in Chhattisgarh's Dhamtari district, once grappling with severe water shortage, is now a beacon of agricultural transformation

We are clearly seeing this macro trend play out over the last 15-20 years

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said the meeting with farmer leaders was held in a cordial atmosphere and the next round of talks will take place in Chandigarh March 19. A fresh round of talks between the protesting farmers and a central team led by Chouhan to discuss the formers' various demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP on crops, was held here on Saturday evening. Union ministers Pralhad Joshi and Piyush Goyal also attended the meeting on Centre's behalf. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Chouhan said the discussions with the farmers took place in a cordial atmosphere. The central team placed the farmers' welfare programme, which is the priority of the Narendra Modi government, before the farmers during the meeting, Chouhan said. "We heard the views of farmer leaders Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher. A very good discussion took place. The discussions would continue and the next meeting will be held in Chandigarh on Mar

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said a national-level committee will soon be established to promote natural farming across the country. Through this committee, farmers will be made aware of adopting natural farming practices and be given necessary training, he said. If farmers adopt natural farming correctly, it will not only boost their income but also preserve soil fertility, he said, adding that in addition, citizens will benefit from access to vegetables, grains, and fruits free from chemicals and pesticides. He stated this after observing the natural farming practices under the guidance of Gujarat Governor, Acharya Devvrat, in village Kainthala in Kurukshetra district, said an official statement. Prior to this, Chouhan visited Gurukul Kurukshetra, where he examined the Gaushala for indigenous cows, the Gurukul's hostel, and other facilities. Gujarat Governor Devvrat provided detailed insights into the progress and achievements of the Gurukul. The

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the released funds will go to honour contracts that were already made directly with farmers, according to a statement on the USDA's website

But they're still relying on traditional farming methods, says McKinsey survey

Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate on Sunday reiterated that the government will not discontinue the Re 1 crop insurance scheme despite recommendations to shut it down. Speaking to the media in Nandurbar, Kokate confirmed that while some adjustments will be made, the scheme will continue in its current form to support farmers. The crop insurance scheme was introduced in the 2023 budget by the then-finance minister and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Under the scheme, farmers can get crop insurance for just Re 1. Before the scheme, farmers had to pay the company 2 per cent of the insurance premium. The scheme, however, faced criticism after a review brought to light over four lakh bogus applicants. "This scheme is for the benefit of farmers, and while some changes are necessary, it will not be closed," the minister said. He further confirmed that compensation for crop losses was distributed to some farmers, and investigations into other cases were ongoing.

Experts say rising temperatures and erratic rainfall pose a risk to saffron production, which has dropped from 8 metric tons in the financial year 2010-11 to 2.6 metric tons in 2023-24

All farms under the Agriculture Department will be fully developed for natural farming by next year, with a focus only on producing seeds for natural farming, said Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday. Chairing a review meeting of the Agriculture department here, he said that one lakh families would be linked with natural farming in the coming year, according to a statement issued here. He directed the department to map farmers cultivating wheat and maize through natural farming methods across the state and issued instructions for the establishment of high-tech storage centres for the grains produced through natural farming. Sukhu said that Himachal Pradesh was on its way to becoming a leading state in natural farming, and the state government was leaving no stone unturned to achieve this goal with a view to benefit the maximum farming community. It is important to adopt natural treatment methods for disease management in the crops grown naturally, he sa

Strong monsoon, robust kharif output drive growth, boosting agri GVA

If the final area covered under wheat stays at around 32 million hectares, this would mean that acreage in 2025 is 1.74 per cent more than 2024 and 2.4 per cent more than the normal acreage

The SOP was shared with all state Registrars of Cooperative Societies, with advice to modify it suitably and adopt

The Tripura government has planned to bring around 7,000 hectares of wasteland under oil palm cultivation by the 2026-27 financial year (FY'27), an official said on Friday. Initially, the Centre had identified 7,000 hectares for oil palm cultivation in the state but the ICAR-Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research reassessment committee classified 1.46 lakh hectares as a potential area for such farming in 2020 through digital mapping. "Under the National Mission on Edible Oil-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), the state planned to bring at least 7,000 hectares of wasteland under oil palm cultivation by the 2026-27 financial year. The state has a favourable agro-climate for palm cultivation. Accordingly, we are working rigorously to achieve the target," Horticulture and Soil Conservation Department's Director P B Jamatia told PTI. He said the department has selected two processors as technical associated partners- Godrej Agrovet Pvt Ltd and Patanjali Foods Pvt Ltd -for implementation of the national

The report said that region-wise farm profitability in the northern belt was expected to be relatively better than in the southern belt, while the eastern and western belts presented a mixed bag

While the government is looking to push natural farming, which is different from organic farming, contrasting studies question the scalability and viability of the practice

In 2019-20, the Central government initiated a programme on natural farming titled Bhartiya Prakratik Krishi Paddhati

Synergy Marine Group has started growing vegetables on its vessels on a pilot basis using technology provided by Agwa. "As part of a pilot project, Synergy's managed Suezmax tanker 'EFFIE MAERSK' has been using Agwa's cutting-edge AI-directed cultivation devices since September," according to a statement on Thursday. These units, which are about the same size as standard refrigerators or wine coolers, allow the crew to enjoy freshly picked vegetables in the middle of the ocean, it added. Eli Feiglin, Chief Commercial Officer of Agwa, said, "The fully automated process allows crews to enjoy fresh greens and herbs without the need for special skills or substantial time commitment." The self-contained units use artificial intelligence, cameras and sensors to regulate environmental factors such as ultraviolet light, water, fertiliser and temperature. By maintaining optimal conditions for plant growth, the AI ensures that the vegetables grow efficiently. Captain Rajesh Unni, Synergy's

Farming would be one of the biggest US sectors hit should the incoming administration move forward with kicking potentially millions of undocumented immigrants out of the country

Access to crop insurance and agricultural machinery was limited, with 50 per cent of FPCs lacking crop insurance and 61 per cent without access to agricultural machinery

PM Modi launched the 'Unified Genomic Chip' to help farmers identify high-quality cattle early, which is aimed at enhancing dairy farming quality in India