Critics say that so far, the Modi government, in its third term, has resisted from making any bold or path-breaking initiatives for the farm sector
The country's agriculture and allied sector is expected to grow at 3.5-4 per cent in 2024-25, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Wednesday, marking a significant improvement from the 1.4 per cent rise recorded in FY24. In a New Year message posted on social media platform X, Chouhan expressed confidence in India's development trajectory under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, highlighting various rural welfare initiatives implemented in the past six months. "The New Year has brought good news that the growth rate of agriculture and allied sector is likely to be 3.5 to 4 per cent this year," Chouhan said. The minister emphasised ongoing efforts to ensure fair prices for farmers' produce and pointed to several rural development programmes, including housing for the poor, village road connectivity, skill development, and the Lakhpati Didi campaign aimed at improving rural livelihoods. He also highlighted the role of MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural ...
Also, Rs 824.77 crore fund has been created to foster innovation and technology in the agriculture sector
Nano urea sales dropped by a steep 43.2 per cent in FY24 from the previous year, despite production capacity rising by almost 59 per cent in that period
India is poised to achieve new heights in foodgrain production in 2025, driven by favourable monsoon, though significant challenges persist in pulses and oilseeds production as the country's agricultural sector shows signs of robust recovery. The Agriculture Ministry's initial projections paint an optimistic picture, with kharif (summer) foodgrain production estimated at a record 164.7 million tonnes for the 2024-25 crop year ending June 2025. Winter crop planting has maintained steady progress, with wheat sown across 29.31 million hectares as of mid-December 2024, while total rabi (winter) crops cover 55.88 million hectares. "We had a good kharif crop because of normal rainfall," Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi told PTI. "Overall, the crop prospect for the whole year looks promising," he added, though cautioning against potential heat waves in February-March that could affect the winter wheat harvest. The agricultural sector is projected to bounce back strongly, with grow
It also recommends implementing a robust and legally binding MSP in the country
UPL-Sustainable AgriSolutions (UPL-SAS) is spearheading a transformative approach to Indian agriculture, leveraging technology, digital innovations, and a holistic strategy to address the complex challenges facing the country's farming ecosystem, CEO Ashish Dobhal revealed in an exclusive interview. With agriculture spanning 400 million acres and involving 130 million farmers, 80-85 per cent of whom are smallholders, the company is reimagining its role from a crop protection product seller to a comprehensive solution provider. "Each state has its own nuance, cropping pattern, and cultural nuances of farming," Dobhal explained, underscoring the intricate landscape of Indian agriculture. Emerging from a challenging period, Dobhal confidently asserted that "the worst of the industry downturn is behind us." UPL-SAS, a subsidiary of UPL Ltd, is implementing a multi-pronged strategy to revitalize its performance with key strategic priorities. These priorities include developing crop ...
Following the repeal of the 2021 farm laws, a new policy looks to pass the baton of enacting wide-ranging agricultural reforms to states, a position that they held earlier
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
The main culprit for the degradation of the nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium ratio is the overuse of urea as a main fertiliser because of its low price, which has been static for almost a decade
Edible oil industry SEA on Monday called on the government to lift a ban on futures trading in key agricultural commodities, including crude palm oil and soyabean, citing significant financial impact on its members. The ban, first implemented in December 2021 on seven agricultural commodities, has been extended multiple times with the current extension running through December 20, 2024. The Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA) has appealed to five ministers, including Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, arguing that the absence of futures trading has hindered price risk management and market development. "The industry was hopeful that the suspension would be lifted to enable smoother operations, but the continuation of this restriction has further weakened an essential risk mitigation tool," SEA President Sanjeev Asthana said in a representation made to the ministers. SEA emphasised that studies have shown futures trading does not significantly
A Supreme Court-appointed panel on farmers' grievances and protests has filed its interim report, listing reasons for agrarian distress which among others include stagnant yield, rising costs and debts and inadequate marketing system. The high-powered committee, constituted on September 2 under former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Nawab Singh to resolve the grievances of farmers agitating at the Shambhu border, also suggested solutions including examining the possibility of giving legal sanctity to Minimum Support Price and offering direct income support. While forming the committee, the SC had observed farmers' protest should not be politicised. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan on Friday took the interim report on record and praised the committee for its efforts and framing of the issues to be examined and defuse the agitation. In its 11-page interim report, the panel said, "It is a well-known fact that the farming community in the country in general and that o
Agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stressed on the pivotal role of soil health in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) such as zero hunger, climate action, and life on land
Discussion was aimed to address crucial issues that affect the farmer communities and analyse the challenges faced in agriculture sector
A body of the tea industry has come out with a climate-smart seed variety which can withstand high temperatures and yield quality crops, an official said on Sunday. The new seed stock 'TSS 2', introduced by the Tea Research Association (TRA), will help the industry prepare itself to counter the negative effects of climate change, he said. The TRA is funded by the Ministry of Commerce and the tea industry. The new seed variety has been introduced at a time "when tea production is down by 80 million kgs till now in 2024 due to extreme heat and climatic factors," TRA secretary Joydeep Phukan told PTI. Extreme heat is making a significant impact on tea plantations in Assam and north Bengal, the two largest tea-producing regions in the country. "To combat the effects of climate change, TRA released the first climate-smart tea seed stock TSS 2. The new seed variety can withstand high temperatures and the new seed stock can produce high-quality tea," he said. The traditional tea-growing
The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) has declared the Combined State Agriculture Service (Prelims) Exam 2024 results today. Here's the steps to check and download
Walmart Foundation has provided three new grants totalling USD 2.78 million to advance technological innovation in India's agriculture sector. With the Walmart Foundation funding, the National Entrepreneurship Network (NEN), Cornell University in support of the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI) and Precision Development (PxD) collectively aim to reach over 3,00,000 farmers in India, according to a statement. Walmart.org represents the philanthropic efforts of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. These grants aim to enhance farmer livelihoods, increase market access and promote sustainable agricultural practices, thereby contributing to the Walmart and Walmart Foundation goal of reaching 1 million smallholder farmers by 2028 across India's agriculture sector, it added.
Falling prices of agricultural produce are worrisome for the BJP in Haryana and Maharashtra, where elections are due, Sanjeeb Mukherjee reports
The government on Wednesday expanded the scope of Rs 1 lakh crore-Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF) scheme to make it more attractive, as part of its objective to strengthen farm-related infrastructure facilities in the country. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the "progressive expansion in central sector scheme of financing facility under the AIF to make it more attractive, impactful and inclusive", an official statement said. In a significant move to enhance and strengthen the agricultural infrastructure in the country and support the farming community, the government has announced a series of measures to expand the scope of the AIF scheme. "These initiatives aim at expanding the scope of eligible projects and integrate additional supportive measures to foster a robust agricultural infrastructure ecosystem," it added. The government has allowed all eligible beneficiaries of the scheme for creation of infrastructure covered under 'viabl
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Saturday said the state government will constitute the Chief Minister's Animal Husbandry Development Fund with an allocation of Rs 250 crore to benefit cattle farmers. Sharma was addressing a delegation of Dewasi community who had come from various assembly constituencies including Sirohi and Bali to express gratitude for the announcements made for their upliftment in the state's annual budget. According to an official statement, the chief minister said that the country is agriculture-based and cattle farmers have an important contribution in the state's economy. Keeping this in mind, many gifts have been given in the budget for the empowerment of cattle farmers. Chief Minister's Animal Husbandry Development Fund will be constituted with Rs 250 crore for animal husbandry promotion, conservation and development, he said. According to the chief minister, the grant amount will be increased from 50 per cent to 75 per cent for breed developme