Page 2 - Agriculture

Draw micro-level plans to tackle El Niño, weak monsoon: PMO to ministries

All major ministries attend high-level review meeting on low monsoon impact; rains 51 per cent surplus on Tuesday

Paddy sowing down 13%, total Kharif acreage falls 21% due to low rainfall

As per the data, paddy acreage is down by 13 per cent to 60.24 lakh hectares till July 6 in the ongoing kharif season compared with 69.3 lakh hectares last year

Centre revamps natural and organic farming certification framework

Centre restricts regional councils to single-state ops

Active monsoon phase may narrow kharif sowing gap after weak June

An active southwest monsoon is expected to accelerate kharif sowing after a weak June, helping narrow the rainfall deficit and support crop prospects

Govt raises onion buffer procurement price by 13% to support farmers

Procurement price increased to ₹2,125 a quintal to improve farmer returns, while government says onion supplies remain adequate despite recent firmness in prices

Govt likely to use ammonia from coal gasification to produce urea

The government is exploring coal gasification-based ammonia for new urea plants to cut LNG dependence, boost energy security and reduce fertiliser subsidies

Centre lowers broken rice content in PDS rice, targets ₹2,161 crore savings

The permissible limit has been reduced from 25 per cent to 10 per cent for raw rice and from 16 per cent to 5 per cent for parboiled rice

Mobile app soon to help farmers assess soil health: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

The agriculture minister said the technology will help farmers identify nutrient levels in their fields and promote balanced use of fertilisers while reducing dependence on chemicals

El Niño threat: Which crops face the biggest risk from weak monsoon?

If rains are less in the central and western parts of the country, where irrigation coverage is lower than the national average, the impact on oilseeds and pulses could be more

Kharif sowing slumps 23% amid delayed monsoon, paddy acreage falls sharply

Paddy, pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals and cotton have all recorded lower acreage compared with the same period last year due to a delayed monsoon

Uttar Pradesh targets 22.43 mn tonnes paddy output despite El Niño

UP targets an 8% rise in paddy output and 18% higher kharif production despite El Niño risks, backed by contingency plans and stronger farm support

Tripura eyes bigger global pineapple market with ₹236-crore 'Mission Queen'

The Queen variety of pineapple, found in Tripura, is known for its exceptional sweetness, fibreless pulp, aroma, and quality

Seed firms hold 20-30% kharif stock, last-mile delivery key concern: FSII

The seed industry has built up inventories after a strong production season, but ensuring supplies reach rain-deficient regions quickly will be critical as concerns grow over weak and delayed monsoon

Himachal govt to bear 50% interest burden on overdue agricultural loans

An estimated 6,356 farmers across the state are expected to benefit from the scheme, with a financial outlay of ₹50 crore

Barren land to biz model: How Project Chittoor bets on integrated farming

How a CSR initiative in Andhra Pradesh is turning fragmented landholdings into a diversified income machine

Centre working on reducing green-grey ammonia cost gap to boost green urea

Green ammonia, the main input for making green urea, currently costs more to produce than conventional grey ammonia, making green urea production uncompetitive without support

India IT cos generating $10-12 bn in AI revenue, set for growth: Nasscom

Nasscom President Rajesh Nambiar emphasised that as AI moves into production, enterprises will need specialist partners to deploy and scale the technology responsibly

Rajasthan agri dept sets kharif sowing targets, focus on major millets

Rajasthan boosts kharif targets for millets, guar and soybean, with sowing prospects hinging on monsoon progress and rainfall distribution

El Niño set to further disrupt India's $300 bn agricultural supply chain

A prolonged delay in monsoon rainfall is disrupting kharif crop planting and raising concerns over agricultural output amid the emergence of El Niño conditions

India asks farmers in rain-fed areas to shift to less water-intensive crops

The push by the farm ministry is part of a broader effort to prepare for the 2026 monsoon planting season after rainfall since June 1 has run 42% below normal