Agriculture

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday called for more reforms in the agriculture sector, saying it is the backbone of the Indian economy, and that the shortage of funds would not come in the way of doing more for the farming community and rural India. Addressing the three-day Unnat Krishi Mela here, Singh said the Narendra Modi government has launched several schemes - PM-Kisan, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Soil Health Card and an online network of wholesale mandis - to boost farmers' income and farm productivity. "These efforts have transformed the lives of farmers. But I believe the change is not enough. There is a need to do even more for the agriculture sector and our villages," he said, adding, "We will not be worried about funds. The shortage of funds will not be an obstacle. I want to assure you this." Reflecting on his political journey, Singh said the farmer in him had never left despite holding several ministerial portfolios. "In my political life, I have .

In India, speciality fertiliser or non-subsidised fertiliser sales have been growing at the rate of 10-12 per cent per annum

Shivraj Singh Chouhan says will use satellite-based remote sensing to provide relief from recent rains

The arthiyas are demanding a fixed 2.5 per cent commission on their purchases, as was the practice till 2020, when it was changed to up to 2.5 per cent

Rajasthan is set for a record mustard harvest, with output rising despite weather disruptions, supported by higher sowing and favourable crop conditions

India, where farming is a mainstay, imports fertilisers such as urea, diammonium phosphate (DAP) and muriate of potash, as well as liquefied natural gas, a key feedstock for urea production

In third part of series on West Asia impact, wholesalers warn of thin stocks as hoarding fears drive early fertiliser buying

Geopolitical uncertainties and concerns over a below-average monsoon remain overhang for FY27

The duty exemption will start from April 2 and continue till June 30, 2026, an official order said

Says prices of most essential food items fairly stable despite the war

The Centre on Wednesday asserted that the country has an adequate supply of seeds and agro-chemicals for the upcoming Kharif season, and asked states to check hoarding, black marketing, smuggling and diversion of fertilisers for non-farm usage. Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing on recent developments in West Asia, Maninder Kaur Dwivedi, Additional Secretary in the Agriculture Ministry, said, "The most important input is seeds. There is an adequate availability of seeds for the upcoming Kharif (summer-sown) sowing season". She said the total estimated requirement of seeds for the Kharif 2026 is 166.46 lakh quintals, while the availability is 185.74 lakh tonnes. So, there is a surplus of 19.29 lakh tonnes. Dwivedi noted that there is enough supply of seeds for all major crops. She said the total availability of seeds for paddy crop is 80.9 lakh quintals, soyabean 35.7 lakh quintals, groundnut 21.1 lakh quintals, and maize 11.9 lakh quintals. The availability of seeds is ...

In FY25, around 57.8 million households got work under the scheme

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday directed officials to ensure that farmers coming to mandis to sell their crops during the Rabi procurement season 2026-27 do not face any inconvenience. Saini was presiding over a meeting of officials from the Food and Civil Supplies Department and other agencies related to crop procurement here. He also reviewed the arrangements made for the Rabi procurement season. Procurement of wheat will begin from April 1, 2026, and a target of 72 lakh metric tonnes has been set by the Government of India for this Rabi procurement season, an official statement said. Procurement of mustard has commenced from March 28. This year, the state government plans to procure approximately 13 lakh tonnes of mustard. Out of this, 25 per cent will be procured under the Price Support Scheme through central agencies (NAFED and NCCF), while the remaining 75 per cent will be procured by state agencies (HAFED and Haryana State Warehousing Corporation in a 50:

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday said in the Rajya Sabha that overuse of chemical fertilisers and excessive use of water are adversely impacting soil fertility in some parts of the country. In a reply to supplementary queries during Question Hour, the minister said the central government is promoting crop diversification and has launched many schemes, including the Millets Mission. Through these schemes, Chouhan said the Centre is making efforts to boost production of millets, pulses and oilseeds. "Due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers and higher use of water, the soil fertility is getting affected at many places," he said. Chouhan said the area and production of mills have increased in the last few years and expressed hope that the output and consumption would increase further. He appreciated the farmers of Punjab for helping India achieve self-sufficiency in foodgrains production. "Punjab ko pranam karte hain. Punjab ke kisanon ko pranam karte h

Parliament panel seeks safeguard duty on palm oil to protect domestic farmers

For the first time, India's premier agricultural institute IARI features in QS World University Rankings 2026 in agriculture and forestry, joining top global institutions

Currently, micro-irrigation facilities cover 24 per cent of the state's gross sown area (GSA). There are plans to expand coverage to 51 per cent by 2030

Prolonged conflict in West Asia could disrupt fertiliser supply chains and impact global planting cycles, raising risks of a food crisis, says Brazil Potash CEO Matt Simpson

The Centre has relaxed sugar dispatch norms for March 2026, allowing mills flexibility amid weak demand without penalties for missing quota targets

Economist Ashok Gulati of the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (Icrier) said government spending on agriculture R&D is "not even peanuts" by global standards