Farming

Cold wave grips North India; temperature dips to 2.7 degrees in Gurugram

Tractor sales touch nearly a million in 2025 calendar

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday termed chemical fertilisers as the root cause of many diseases and made a strong pitch for natural farming, saying it not only increases farmers' income but also saves water and promotes public health. Addressing a Farmers' Conference held here, Shah said the government was developing a "complete system" - from soil and laboratory testing, certification to packaging - to ensure that the agricultural produce of the country's farmers reaches global level in a better way as there is a huge market for natural farming in the world. "Chemical fertilisers are the root cause of many diseases today. Natural farming is an approach that doesn't reduce farmers' income, but instead makes their produce pure," he said. Natural farming is a traditional practice that people have forgotten over the time. A dung and urine of a single indigenous cow can help cultivate 21 acres of land, he said. "It (natural farming) increases income, saves water, and relieves

Mirova has invested $30 million in Kheti soil carbon project, marking its first India carbon deal and its largest commitment under nature-based strategies aimed at scaling regenerative farming

Agriculture Insurance Company of India plans to scale up weather-linked parametric insurance to livestock and income protection for agricultural workers

Senior agricultural scientists write to PM Modi urging coordinated action to lift the stay on GM mustard, stressing biosafety and global adoption ahead of sowing season

Along with Confed and District Cooperative Consumer Stores, millet outlets are also being opened at the level of purchasing-selling cooperative societies and village service cooperative societies

This AI platform can analyse climate, soil, and crop data to predict what grows best where-boosting yields and cutting carbon risks

India and Pakistan exclusively grow aromatic basmati rice, which sells for nearly twice the price of regular varieties and is primarily imported by Britain, the Middle East, and the United States

Above-normal monsoon this year has seen surge in kharif planting, driving up fertiliser demand, but heavy rains in northern states have also ruined standing crops, while floods have killed hundreds

Naveen Patnaik has written to Union Minister JP Nadda warning of urea shortages in Odisha, citing black marketing, inflated prices and farmer protests during the kharif season

Government policies must incentivise sustainable farming to support India's smallholder farmers, as they face intensifying climate challenges like erratic monsoons, droughts, and floods, according to Swiss crop protection firm Syngenta Group Chief Sustainability Officer Petra Laux. Smallholder farmers account for 80 per cent of the agricultural sector. With agriculture contributing 25 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, but receiving only 5 per cent of climate transition funding and subsidies rewarding climate-smart practices are critical to drive change, Laux said. In an interview with PTI, she said uncertain crop prices discourage smallholders from using sustainable methods. The lack of premiums for climate-smart crops, unlike niche organic markets, limits progress. Globally, consumer reluctance to pay more hinders adoption, and scaling emission reduction projects, like Syngenta's methane-focused initiative near Delhi for export markets, face challenges. "There's no pre

For now, India's GM crop landscape remains one of promise stalled by policy inertia, while scientific, commercial, and global trade pressures continue to mount

India has so far resisted the opening of the agricultural sector and dairy products due to concerns about domestic livelihoods and potential impacts on farmers

Farmers will initially receive Rs 50,000 per acre along with the letter of intent (LOI) within 21 days of applying for the land-pooling scheme, said Punjab Cabinet Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian on Monday. He further said the amount of Rs 50,000 will be hiked to Rs 1 lakh per acre when the government takes over the possession of the land. Mundian also said there will be a 10 per cent hike per annum until the land development is complete. The housing and urban development minister held deliberations with the farmers of 164 villages regarding the land-pooling scheme here to get their feedback and address their concerns related to the scheme. Mundian said farmers who opt for the land-pooling scheme can continue farming on the land until the development work on the land starts. The minister said farmers will get the LOI within 21 days of applying for the scheme. The day the government takes possession of the land, the amount of Rs 1 lakh per acre per annum will be given and if the ..

The PM-DDKY scheme to start in FY26, merging 36 existing programmes to boost yields, irrigation, and rural credit in low-performing districts; NITI Aayog to oversee progress

Coconut output has dropped due to farming neglect and climate change, driving up prices. Temple offerings of coconut are down 30%, and oil use for lamps is being cut to cope with the rising costs

What remains the Holy Grail of DBT is the direct transfer of input subsidies into the bank accounts of farmers, and within it, the transfer of fertiliser subsidies

Since India is also the world's second-largest producer, exporter of wheat, it merits to be counted among the world's major food grain powerhouses, and a key player in the international food market

Concessions unlikely on grains; approach lenient towards almonds, blueberries