Agriculture

The push by the farm ministry is part of a broader effort to prepare for the 2026 monsoon planting season after rainfall since June 1 has run 42% below normal

The monsoon has so far brought rains about 43% below average, and the weather office has forecast weak rains through the week ending July 2

Demand for most food commodities is relatively inelastic, implying that consumption adjusts only marginally to changes in prices

Market watchers say the reason for the drop in prices was China's big re-entry into world fertiliser markets

Agricultural experts say resilient traditional rice varieties such as Kala Namak can help farmers withstand delayed monsoons and weather-related stress during the kharif season

Since the launch of the scheme, farmers in Assam have received cumulative assistance exceeding ₹8,292 crore, Sonowal said

While there have been broad forecasts of El Nino setting in around November, IMD is seeking greater certainty before firming up its assessment

As the Centre warns of a severe El Niño impact in 12 states, microfinance lenders are intensifying vigilance to protect collection gains

The Centre has asked 12 states to prepare district-wise contingency plans as El Nino threatens a below-normal monsoon during Kharif 2026

Soybean prices climbed to ₹7,587 per 100 kg last month, a four-year high and well above the government's support price of ₹5,328

Rajasthan extended wheat procurement till June 19 and raised its target, while Ashok Gehlot alleged delays, gunny bag shortages and hardships for farmers

Two new urea plants with 2.5 million tonnes annual capacity will begin production soon, boosting domestic output and helping cut India's import dependence

Urea and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) would continue to be available at subsidised rates despite concerns over supplies amid the West Asia crisis, he said

India's ethanol push is moving beyond E20, but experts say higher blending must also account for groundwater stress and regional water limits

The recent import tender opened few days back though shows that there could come relief finally round the corner but how much will that be remains to be seen. In 2024-25

NITI Aayog's Himanshu Joshi said Indian agri- and water-tech startups should adopt technologies for new markets and move beyond basic problem-solving to tackle regulatory challenges

A sharp decline in global urea prices in the latest NFL import tender could prompt the government to reassess fertiliser subsidy estimates for FY27, officials said

With the paddy sowing season now fully underway across Punjab, he requested that the supply of these crucial fertilizers be further enhanced to meet rising demand

The rates offered in this latest tender are more than 50 per cent lower than the prices quoted in the tender floated by Indian Potash Ltd (IPL) in April, due to a fall in global urea prices

The price fall could come as relief to farmers and government on subsidy