Page 2 - Agriculture

Centre cracks down on fertiliser black-marketing, reviews MSP procurement

He stressed that registration must go beyond PM-Kisan beneficiaries to include all eligible farmers, an official statement sai

There is adequate supply of seeds, pesticides for kharif 2026 sowing: Govt

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

Centre to hold regional meets to boost agriculture policy execution

Centre will organise regional agriculture conferences in April-May to improve policy execution, strengthen Centre-State coordination, and address implementation bottlenecks

Centre assures adequate Kharif inputs, urges states to curb hoarding

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

MGNREGA work dips to 53.2 million households in FY26, lowest in six years

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

Bio-isobutanol can be India's answer to energy insecurity: Dilip Patil

As West Asia tensions strain energy supplies, industry backs bio-isobutanol blending in diesel to boost energy security without affecting mileage, using existing distilleries with minimal investment

LNG supply to urea units rises to 75-80%; output falls 27% in March

The government has also secured arrangements for 2.8 million tonnes of urea from Russia through the Cape of Good Hope route

Govt extends Indian Potash STE status for urea imports till March 2027

The move is important as the West Asia crisis has disrupted global fertiliser trade

Haryana begins mustard procurement, wheat procurement to start April 1

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

Excessive use of fertilisers, water harms soil fertility: Shivraj Chouhan

Excess fertiliser and water use hurting soil health, says Chouhan, as Centre pushes millets and crop diversification to boost sustainability

Parliament panel seeks 100% MSP procurement for oilseeds, pulses

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

Adequate fertiliser reserves available, no need to panic, says Nadda

Disruption in shipping routes and West Asia war has raised concerns over fertiliser imports

PUSA's IARI enters QS university ranking in agriculture, forestry category

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

Punjab stares at shortage of gunny bags ahead of wheat procurement season

Despite expectations of a bumper wheat crop, a shortage of around 50 million gunny bags could disrupt procurement operations and strain mandi infrastructure in Punjab.

Rajasthan govt plans irrigation upgrade to reduce monsoon dependence

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

World may face food crisis if West Asia war persists: Brazil Potash CEO

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

Centre relaxes monthly sugar sales quota for March on subdued demand

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

FAI seeks govt relief for urea producers amid gas curbs, supply fears

FAI called for energy cost reimbursements and penalty waivers for plants operating under constrained gas supplies, citing extraordinary circumstances stemming from the ongoing geopolitical crisis

Unseasonal rains damage Rabi crops in Rajasthan, farmers worried

Unseasonal rains and hailstorms across Rajasthan have severely damaged Rabi crops, leaving farmers anxious as losses mount and compensation processes begin

UP cabinet clears ₹160 MSP hike for wheat, ₹20 per quintal handling aid

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath