Page 18 - Agriculture

Indian agrochemical companies scale up via product deals with MNCs

As multinational companies grapple with regulatory uncertainty in India, domestic agrochemical firms are acquiring products and technologies, reshaping the crop protection landscape

Budget 2026: Plantations, fisheries central to farm income strategy

The Budget for agriculture and allied activities was projected to grow by 7.1 per cent in the Budget Estimates of FY27 as against the Revised Estimates of FY26

Centre to bring new laws to provide legal protection to farmers: Chouhan

Those involved in supplying fake agricultural inputs are not just committing economic offences but betraying farmers' trust, he said

India's Oct-Jan sugar output rises 18.35% to 19.5 mn tonnes: Isma

According to Indian Sugar & Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA), 515 sugar mills are operational across the country, slightly higher than 501 mills in operation at the same stage last year

MP priority sector has credit potential of ₹3.75 trillion: Nabard

Nabard estimates priority sector loan potential in Madhya Pradesh at ₹3.75 trillion for 2026-27, about 20% higher than last year, led by agriculture and MSMEs

Centre floats concept note on digital vouchers for PDS to check leakages

The food ministry has proposed pilot projects using e-RUPI digital vouchers in the public distribution system to reduce leakages and diversion of grains, a move strongly opposed by ration shop dealers

Energy sector has $500 billion investment potential: PM Narendra Modi

Prime minister says pact covers a quarter of global GDP as India builds export-oriented energy ecosystem

Govt conducting pilots with Agristack to link land, fertiliser use, crops

Agriculture Secretary Rajat Kumar Mishra said that in Haryana, an experiment was conducted to connect land, fertiliser usage and crops grown using Agristack, and it showed remarkable results

Centre likely to use digital farmer IDs to rationalise urea sales

Move could be another attempt to rein in burgeoning fertiliser subsidy

Shift from cereals to horticulture gains pace across Indian farms

The past decade has seen farmers slowly but steadily expand acreage under more lucrative fruits and vegetables, signalling a gradual diversification away from cereal crops

India needs fertiliser pricing reforms to restore soil health: Paper

ICRIER paper calls for rational fertiliser pricing, targeted support and site-specific solutions to restore soil health, improve crop nutrition and address India's persistent malnutrition challenge

Centre permits 500,000 tonnes of wheat product exports under strict rules

This permission to export wheat products comes just weeks ahead of the 2026 harvest season, in which wheat production is expected to touch a new record

Seeds Bill to protect farmers, not open doors to foreign products: Chouhan

"There is a misconception being spread that this will affect traditional seeds. That's not true," he said. The Bill's provisions do not apply to farmers and farm varieties

Farm loan waivers don't address underlying causes of farmer distress: Paper

The paper is based on a farmer survey of 2,838 farmers in Punjab, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh

Centre to soon frame rules to integrate MGNREGA workers into VB-G RAM G

States will get a six-month transition window to notify and align with the new scheme once the Act is formally notified by the Centre

Rajasthan assures quick disposal of crop insurance claims after protests

According to reports, an amount of ₹950 crore remains unpaid by insurance companies in the state under the crop insurance scheme

Ahead of FY27 Budget, agri leaders seek tech push to drive growth

Industry voices say Budget 2026-27 presents a critical opportunity to reposition the sector as an engine of economic growth rather than just a welfare concern

Rabi acreage tops normal levels for most crops till January 9, shows data

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

Chhattisgarh extends mandi fee exemption on rice exports for another year

The participation of global stakeholders would help Chhattisgarh gain wider recognition in the international rice trade, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai added

India's 2025 rice exports jump 19.4% to near record as curbs lifted

Exports rose to 21.55 million metric tons from 18.05 million in 2024, near the 2022 record of 22.3 million tons, the official said