India's farm sector growth may hit 3.5% in FY26: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announces farm tech outreach campaign ahead of kharif season and says India can achieve 3.5% growth in agriculture in FY26

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said the country is likely to achieve a 3.5 per cent farm sector growth rate during 2025–26, as he announced a pan-India 15-day campaign to educate farmers on new technologies ahead of the upcoming kharif sowing season.

 

“Globally, agriculture growth of 1.5–2 per cent is considered good. India is achieving at least 3 to 3.5 per cent growth. We expect to achieve 3–3.5 per cent growth even in the next year (2025–26),” Chouhan said.

 

According to the Economic Survey 2024–25, agriculture sector growth for the current fiscal is pegged at 3.8 per cent.

 

The India Meteorological Department has predicted an above-normal monsoon this year, with the onset expected in Kerala by 27 May—around five days earlier than the usual date of 1 June.

 

The southwest monsoon contributes approximately 75 per cent of the country’s annual rainfall and is crucial for kharif crop cultivation. 

 

Sharing details of the 15-day kharif extension campaign beginning 29 May, the minister said it aims to reach 1.3 crore farmers across 65,000 villages in 723 districts nationwide.

 

A total of 2,170 teams, comprising 3,749 agricultural scientists from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and 2,980 Krishi Vigyan Kendra staff, will conduct daily visits to at least three panchayats each.

 

Chouhan said that the campaign expenses would be covered under existing budget allocations.

 

ICAR Director General M L Jat added that insights from the campaign would be integrated into planning for the upcoming rabi season. 

 

“Earlier, extension activities were conducted differently. This time, it will be done with one voice — ‘One Nation, One Agriculture, and One Team,’” Jat said. 

Farmers call for permanent cancellation of Indus Water Treaty 

Separately, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan, signed in the 1960s by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, had deprived Indian farmers of their rightful share of water.

 

Addressing a group of farmers from North India who had gathered to discuss the treaty, Chouhan said Nehru had agreed to give ₹83 crore and 80 per cent of the river water to Pakistan.

 

He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had rectified this “historical injustice” by placing the treaty in abeyance.

 

Following the address, the farmers' groups signed a memorandum urging the Centre to permanently cancel the IWT and divert the water to benefit farmers in North India.