Page 14 - Agriculture

PM Modi urges group farming to boost income, grow high-value crops

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has advocated for group farming, suggesting that small and marginal farmers pool their land parcels to grow high-value crops and enhance their income.

Soybean production expected to fall by over 2 million tonnes: Industry body

SOPA on Thursday released its annual report at the International Soy Conclave 2025 in Indore in the presence of hundreds of representatives of the oilseeds industry

Looking to raise output of pulses 40% by 2030-31 crop year: Chouhan

Chouhan was addressing the media to announce the formal launch of the programme along with a host of other initiatives by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 11

Complex fertiliser volumes likely to grow 2-4% amid geopolitical risks

Crisil Ratings in the report stated that supply disruptions have also led to a rise in raw material prices, which in turn may increase the subsidy requirement

UP clears food processing proposals worth ₹10K cr to boost rural economy

The state has achieved a 98 per cent bank loan approval rate under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme, the highest in the country

AIC plans expanding parametric insurance products to livestock, people

Country's largest farm insurer plans to scale up weather-linked cover to livestock and income protection for agricultural workers

Shah assures Centre's aid to Maharashtra as floods hit 6 mn hectares crops

Home Minister Amit Shah says the Centre will extend all assistance to farmers after heavy rains and floods damaged standing crops on 6 million hectares of farmland across Maharashtra

Govt lifts export ban on de-oiled rice bran to support cattle feed industry

These exemptions are also on other commodities, including tea, soybean oil, groundnut oil, palm oil, animal, vegetable fats and oils, Cane or beet sugar, and salt

CACP suggests linking oilseeds MSP to oil content to ensure better returns

CACP has proposed oil-linked MSP for mustard and safflower to incentivise high-yield varieties, reduce edible oil imports, and improve farmers' returns

Aggressive pricing pulls down crop insurance premiums by over 30% in FY26

Crop insurance premiums dropped over 30% in FY26 till August due to aggressive pricing, state re-tendering and unsustainable loss-sharing models under PMFBY

Rajasthan govt doles out crop insurance to farmers amid heavy rains

Farmers have suffered heavy losses in parts of the state due to a flood-like situation because of heavy monsoon rains.

MGNREGA demand drops 27% in September, third monthly fall in a row

MGNREGA work demand fell 27.1% in September 2025, marking the third straight monthly decline, as kharif sowing, budget curbs and heavy rains reduced rural job uptake

Govt raises wheat MSP by 6.59% to ₹2,585; safflower tops hike list

The government raised wheat MSP to Rs 2,585 per quintal for 2026-27 while safflower saw the highest hike of Rs 600 per quintal, followed by lentil, rapeseed, mustard and gram

Cabinet raises wheat MSP by ₹160 to ₹2,585 per quintal for 2026-27

The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi

After ethanol tender pricing setback, sugar industry hopes for review

An industry body for sugar factories has written to the Centre seeking a revision of the tender, which has left procurement prices unchanged from last year, noting that sugarcane prices have gone up

The price trap: Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana, Madhya Pradesh's high-wire act

From promised MSPs to manipulated markets, the state's soybean farmers walk a delicate tightrope of risk, loss, and hope

Shifting 16.08 mn hectares paddy land to oil palm can lower India's imports

Edible oil demand-supply gap may widen to 40 mn tonnes by 2047, warns paper

Agri share in GDP must rise to 26% for India to be self-reliant: Gadkari

Gadkari also asked the agro-chemicals industry to focus on introducing affordable bio-pesticides and bio-insecticides products by undertaking intensive research & development (R&D) works

Hold 140% more wheat in buffer at start of season: Flour millers urge govt

Flour millers want wheat buffer stocks raised to 18 million tonnes, urge free exports, GST relief on flour and warn of delayed sowing in Punjab due to floods

Govt will 'positively' consider wheat product export demands: Pralhad Joshi

"Keeping consumer interest and food security in mind, we will positively look into it," Joshi said