Page 2 - Agriculture

Rice diversion for ethanol not fuelling food inflation, says govt

The Centre said surplus rice diverted for ethanol is allocated only after meeting food security needs and buffer stock norms, while maize output remains adequate for all uses

BJP MPs Bhagirath Choudhary, Lumba Ram got subsidy under NHB scheme: Govt

As per the list, Lumba Ram (MP of Sirohi, Rajasthan) in 2025 and Bhagirath Choudhary (Union Minister of State for Agriculture and MP of Ajmer, Rajasthan) in 2026 got the financial assistance

Summer crop sowing gains pace as monsoon rains revive across India

India is the ‌world's largest rice exporter, accounting for about 40% of global shipments and the biggest importer of vegetable oils such as palm oil, soyoil and sunflower oil

Kharif sowing gap with last year narrows further during week ended July 24

Gaps in the area under all crops - oilseeds, pulses, soybean, groundnut, urad, moong and maize - narrowed compared to the previous week

Farm R&D drove a third of India's increase in agri output in 2025: Icar

Icar estimates agricultural R&D contributed around Rs 55,000 crore, or a third, to the increase in India's farm output value between 2024 and 2025, its latest analysis shows

Maharashtra to receive second RKVY instalment of ₹335 crore from Centre

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said the Maharashtra government will get the second instalment of Rs 335 crore under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)

Ashok Lahiri, S Mahendra Dev call for a shift in farming approach

NITI Aayog's Ashok Lahiri and EAC-PM Chairman S Mahendra Dev call for shifting agriculture towards value addition, rural non-farm jobs and higher farmer incomes

How prolonged heat, erratic rains are making eggs and chicken costlier

A prolonged heatwave, delayed monsoon, expensive poultry feed have squeezed production across farms, pushing egg and chicken prices higher, raising concerns over how long the supply crunch could last

Enough funds for fertiliser subsidy; ₹70K cr spent so far: Anupriya Patel

The Centre says it has enough funds for the 2026-27 fertiliser subsidy, while boosting support and securing imports to ensure adequate supplies for the Kharif season

India's fertiliser exports rise 52% in three years from FY24 to FY26

Official data show Brazil remains biggest buyer as imports continue to dominate the sector

Odisha turns to complex fertilisers as DAP, urea supplies come under strain

State asks districts to promote complex fertilisers and ammonium sulphate as alternatives to DAP and urea to ensure uninterrupted crop production during the kharif season

Urea, DAP sales show marginal dip in June 2026 despite patchy monsoon

India's fertiliser sales dipped only marginally in June despite a weak monsoon, while easing global prices offered relief even as FY27 subsidy estimates remained elevated

Kharif sowing picks up pace, year-on-year acreage gap narrows to 6%

This happened even as the monsoon entered a weak phase, as the rains in the previous fortnight provided sufficient soil moisture to start planting

Punjab DSR area rises 36% to over 400K acres in Kharif 2026: State agri min

Punjab's area under direct-seeded rice rose 36% to over 4 lakh acres in Kharif 2026, aided by incentives and efforts to conserve groundwater

Sugar industry says recent price spike not supported by fundamentals

ISMA and NFCSF said India has adequate sugar stocks to meet domestic demand and urged traders and buyers to avoid speculative purchases and hoarding

Chouhan asks ICAR scientists to explore non-GMO ways to raise pulses yield

Shivraj Singh Chouhan urges ICAR to find non-GMO solutions to boost pulses and oilseed yields as the council unveils its agriculture roadmap for 2047

India must cut pulse, oilseed imports through higher yield: Shivraj Chouhan

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh urged ICAR scientists to improve productivity in pulses and oilseeds to reduce import dependence, while also calling for greater self-sufficiency in fertilisers

Cabinet clears new urea policy to add 10 mt domestic production capacity

The Cabinet has approved NIPU-2026 to add 10 million tonnes of domestic urea capacity through 8-9 new plants, aiming to curb imports and boost self-reliance

Kharif acreage gap can be bridged as sowing continues till Aug 15: Chouhan

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan says Kharif sowing could recover by August 15 if rainfall improves, despite a 16% drop in crop acreage so far

Odisha clears new farm market law to widen buyer access for farmers

Odisha has approved a new farm marketing law to create a unified statewide market, expand buyer access, promote digital trading and improve price realisation for farmers