Agriculture Economy

India's fertilizer squeeze forces rethink of legacy of overuse amid war

The country's farmers use more urea than the US and Brazil combined, buoyed by government support that keeps prices well below market rates

Bumper moong harvest revives Madhya Pradesh's farm procurement challenge

Farmers forced the state to raise summer moong procurement coverage to nearly 60 per cent as a bumper harvest, falling prices and limited buying avenues revived an old agricultural crisis

New urea policy revives self-reliance push, but demand keeps racing ahead

The Centre's new investment policy could attract up to Rs 1 trillion into urea production, but rising demand, subsidy distortions and weak private participation may keep India reliant on imports

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

No proposal for one-time waiver of loans of small, marginal farmers: Govt

The government has no proposal for a one-time waiver of loans of small and marginal farmers, Parliament was informed on Monday. To provide relief to borrowers in distress, the Reserve Bank of India has issued Master Direction on Resolution of Stressed Assets, 2025 dated November 28, 2025 (updated as on July 1, 2026) which provides lenders the discretion to undertake financial restructuring of borrowers under stress, based on their Board approved policies and regulatory guidelines, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. "No proposal for one-time waiver of loans of small and marginal farmers is currently under consideration with the Union government," he said in reply to a question whether the government proposes to consider a one-time waiver or restructuring of loans to small and marginal farmers. Replying to another question, Chaudhary said the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had sent a proposal to the government in terms of Section 25 o

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). According to an official statement, the minister chaired a virtual review meeting to assess the utilisation of funds released under the RKVY and to consider the issuance of the Second Installment (Second Mother Sanction) to the Government of Maharashtra. The meeting was attended by Dattatray Bharane, Minister of Agriculture, Government of Maharashtra, senior officials of the Department of Agriculture, Government of India, and officers of the Government of Maharashtra. During the review, Chouhan said the Centre had earlier released Rs 335 crore as the first installment under RKVY to Maharashtra. The state has utilised about Rs 260 crore, exceeding the prescribed 75 per cent utilisation benchmark, thereby becoming eligible for the second installment. He said the process for release of the second ...

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 has sufficient funds to meet its fertiliser subsidy commitments for 2026-27, having spent Rs 70,709 crore till July 13 -- 39.9 per cent of the total budgetary allocation of Rs 1.77 lakh crore for the year, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. "Sufficient funds are, therefore, available to meet the subsidy expenditure," Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Anupriya Patel said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. To cushion against any spike in subsidy requirements stemming from global market volatility, the government has approved Rs 41,533.81 crore under the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) scheme for the Kharif 2026 season, about Rs 3,581 crore more than the amount cleared for Rabi 2025-26. Patel said the enhanced allocation would help keep Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilisers affordable and available for farmers. Under the NBS scheme, in place since 2010, P&K fertilisers fall under Open General Licence, allowing companies to import or manufacture them

Ubharta Purvanchal conclave: Eastern UP's untapped mine lies above the soil

Crop residue, farmer collectives, and biomass industries can unlock fresh incomes, cleaner energy, and stronger agricultural value chains

Weak monsoon raises rural credit risks; cash flow stress likely: ICRA

AM Karthik of ICRA Ltd said that NBFCs slow down disbursements, tighten their credit norms and prioritise collections and loan quality over loan growth when macroeconomic headwinds intensify.

What is a 'monsoon break' and why does it matter for paddy farmers?

The IMD has forecast a week-long break in the southwest monsoon. Here's why the monsoon takes a pause every year, why this year's break seems unusual, and what it could mean for paddy cultivation

Rajasthan's kharif sowing slows amid erratic rains, revival expected

Erratic monsoon rains have slowed kharif sowing in Rajasthan, leaving key crops below target and raising the risk of delayed planting and resowing

Four charts that show where India's food inflation risks are building

Headline inflation remains under control, but food prices are showing fresh signs of pressure. Here's what the latest inflation and crop data reveal

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

Over 1.85 mn Assam farmers get PM-KISAN aid worth ₹8,200 cr: Sonowal

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said that more than 18.56 lakh farmers in Assam are receiving benefits under the 23rd instalment of PM-KISAN, with tillers in the state having received cumulative assistance exceeding Rs 8,200 crore since the launch of the scheme. He was addressing a gathering at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Kamrup, after virtually attending the PM-KISAN Samman Utsav as Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 23rd instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) in West Bengal, transferring more than Rs 18,880 crore directly into the bank accounts of over 9.44 crore farmers across the country. "Today is not merely the release of another instalment under a government scheme. It is a celebration of the trust between the government and our Annadatas," the Union minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways said. Highlighting the impact of PM-KISAN in Assam, Sonowal said that more than 18.56 lakh farmers in the state are receiving benefits under

Centre awaits IMD's June-end El Nino projection to shape kharif strategy

Agriculture Secretary Atish Chandra on Wednesday said the ministry is awaiting the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) forecast by the end of this month to get a clearer picture on the El Nino timeline before deciding on concrete steps to mitigate the likely impact on kharif crops. "The prediction on when El Nino will set in is still to come. By the end of this month, IMD will come out with the forecast, and then the picture will be clearer. We will then be in the thick of the kharif sowing season and will know how it is going to pan out," Chandra told PTI in an interview. While there have been broad forecasts of El Nino setting in around November, IMD is seeking greater certainty before firming up its assessment. A key variable being tracked is the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) a climate pattern characterised by irregular sea surface temperature oscillations in the Indian Ocean. After remaining positive in May, the IOD has turned neutral in June. "Whether it will remain neutral

Agriculture ministry sounds El Niño alarm; MFIs step up rural credit vigil

As the Centre warns of a severe El Niño impact in 12 states, microfinance lenders are intensifying vigilance to protect collection gains

El Nino to hit 12 states severely; Chouhan calls for district-level plans

The impact of El Nino weather phenomenon, linked with a weaker monsoon in India, is likely to be "relatively severe" in 12 states, including Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, in the Kharif season, according to the agriculture ministry, which on Tuesday directed coordinated action through district-level machinery in the most vulnerable regions. Other states likely to be impacted by El Nino include Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Odisha, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra. "In 9-10 states where the impact of El Nino may be relatively higher, coordinated meetings should be organised with District Magistrates, Agriculture Departments, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and other extension systems of the identified districts," Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who chaired the weekly review meeting on Kharif 2026 preparations, said. The minister also stressed the need for advance contingency planning in rain-deficient districts, while also pushing f

Indian soybean acreage likely to rise on high prices, weak monsoon outlook

Soybean prices climbed to ₹7,587 per 100 kg last month, a four-year high and well above the government's support price of ₹5,328

Cotton price relief from duty cut may prove short-lived, traders warn

While cotton and yarn prices have eased after the import duty cut, traders caution that global price risks, El Nino concerns and the October import window could limit the benefits