Shivraj Singh Chouhan defends India-US trade deal, says farmers' interests fully protected and slams Congress for 'spreading lies'
500,000 tonnes of sugar exports allowed on top of an existing 1.5 mt window
Draft KCC norms seek to include tech innovation costs in farm loans and waive collateral for agricultural credit up to Rs 2 lakh per borrower
The state government's goal is to nudge farmers towards chemical-free practices that also increase incomes
Paddy can be dried before milling; procurement of excessively moist paddy introduces significant operational risk, including loss of stock during storage and compromised milling recovery
During 2024, India's agricultural exports to the US stood at $3.4 billion - excluding marine products, while imports were $2.1 billion
Pulses were not part of the items mentioned in the joint statement for the interim framework, and the fact-sheet too does not clarify which pulses are being included
Pilot trials using Agri Stack and farmer IDs to rationalise urea use have shown promise, but issues of bringing urea under the Nutrient Based Subsidy and rationalising retail prices remain
Two-thirds of India's imports of tree nuts (such as almonds and pistachios) came from the US alone
Traders said prices might rise more if India scales back purchases from South America
Capped DDGS imports under the India-US trade deal offer near-term relief to distillers, but larger quotas could pressure oilseed prices, farm incomes and domestic margins
The Union Minister for Rural Development, Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare added that India had already made significant progress, calling current production levels "historic"
The India-US trade deal has revived debate over genetically modified crops, as New Delhi offers limited farm market access while keeping its most sensitive agricultural sectors protected
Most farmer organisations and Opposition parties have sounded an alarm about the possible entry of GM products; Say could harm soy farmers in MP, Maharashtra, Rajasthan
India-US interim trade framework cuts tariffs on several agricultural items, but Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said sensitive products such as apples, soybean oil and DDGS will be capped under quotas
In a statement, Ramakrishnan said the Union Finance Ministry's Expenditure Secretary has written to the state chief secretary seeking withdrawal of the additional bonus given by states
This signals a significant step towards strengthening India's fertiliser self-sufficiency, reducing dependence on imports in a segment that has traditionally relied heavily on overseas supplies
The government has lifted wheat stocking restrictions imposed in May 2025 after private stocks rose sharply and prices softened, though weekly reporting and monitoring will continue
Chouhan said that, rather than compromising farmers' interests, the trade deal will open new avenues of opportunity for crops such as rice
Plywood, paper, furniture and food processing can help India realise the full economic and environmental potential of its Trees Outside Forests sector