Agriculture Sector

Soil health, markets key to agricultural growth: Experts at BS Manthan

Experts at BS Manthan say India can become a global food hub, but must fix soil health, reform fertiliser subsidies and ensure farm growth is more balanced across crops and states

Global food systems under strain, AI can transform agriculture: Fadnavis

At the India AI Impact Summit, Fadnavis said agriculture is not just an economic activity but a pillar of livelihood, social stability, and national security for countries of the Global South

Shivraj Singh Chouhan calls for making tree planting a mass movement

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday stressed the need to make tree plantation a mass movement for protecting the environment and addressing the challenge of climate change. He was speaking at an event to mark the completion of five years of his pledge to plant at least one sapling everyday. Chouhan, who is also the minister of rural development, started this green initiative on February 19, 2021, on the occasion of Narmada Jayanti, when he planted saplings of 'Rudraksha' and 'Sal' at Amarkantak. The minister has planted more than 6,000 saplings in the last five years. Addressing the event, Chouhan announced that all the programmes organised by his two ministries would start with plantation of saplings. He also directed the officials of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to do the same. Plants should be given to honour the dignitaries in such programmes. After the successful completion of five years of his pledge, the minister emphasised the nee

Budget 2026 shifts focus to allied sectors as farm economy diversifies

Despite criticism over gaps in farm support, Budget FY27 sharply raises allocations for fisheries, animal husbandry and cooperation, underlining the growing role of allied sectors

AI can bridge information gap in agriculture: MeitY secretary S Krishnan

MeitY Secretary S Krishnan, who himself is a registered farmer, on Tuesday called for using artificial intelligence to bridge the information gap in agriculture, saying the old extension network has broken down and the focus has shifted to channelling inputs rather than providing the advisory support farmers actually need. Krishnan, who revealed that he has an agricultural loan in his personal account and that his mother supervises the cultivation on his farm, said timely and reliable advice remains the single most important thing farmers seek -- and the one thing the system has consistently failed to deliver. "As farmers, they always look for advice, which is timely. And many people say that the old extension network has broken down. ...Across many agriculture departments and state governments, the far greater focus is how inputs get channelised. There is less attention to the kind of advice that farmers really want," the secretary in Ministry of Electronics and Information ...

India-US trade deal: Industry awaits clarity on agri products tariff cuts

The edible oil and soybean processing industry has cautiously welcomed the India-US interim bilateral trade agreement announced on Saturday, but is awaiting crucial details on tariff cuts, quota mechanisms and quality specifications. Under the pact, while the US will reduce tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from the present 50 per cent, India will eliminate or cut down import duties on all US industrial goods and a wide range of American food and agricultural products, including soybean oil, distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruits, wine and spirits. IMPORT DEPENDENCE DRIVES CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM --------------------------------------------------------- The Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA) has welcomed the move, particularly given India's heavy dependence on soybean oil imports. During the 2024-25 edible oil year (November-October), the country imported a record 5.47 million tonnes of soybean oil,

Budget 2026: Plantations, fisheries central to farm income strategy

Budget 2026 places special emphasis on plantation crops, fisheries and animal husbandry, proposing targeted schemes to boost farmer incomes, value addition and women-led rural enterprises

Eco Survey seeks modest hike in urea price, raises concerns on farm income

On agriculture, the survey noted the advancements in Indian agriculture pointed to the challenges that impact productivity and incomes that still need to be fully addressed

Tech analysts expect up to 15% upside in these 4 agriculture-related shares

Tech analysts Drumil Vithlani of Bonanza and Aakash Shah of Choice Equity Broking decode trading strategy in Apex Frozen Foods, Rallis India, Coromandel and Tata Consumer Products ahead of Budget 2026

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

Ahead of the FY27 Budget, agriculture industry leaders and experts are making a strong pitch for increased investments in digital infrastructure, climate-resilient farming practices, and technology adoption to transform a sector that employs nearly half the country's workforce but contributes less than a fifth to national output. With agriculture and allied sectors supporting about 45 per cent of India's workforce while contributing only around 18 per cent to the gross value added, 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. "Agriculture is increasingly being recognised not merely as a welfare sector, but as a credible engine of economic growth -- one that can drive productivity, employment, rural demand and resilience," said Amit Vatsyayan, Leader, GPS-Agriculture, Livelihood, Social and Skills at EY India. Dairy sector seeks support Heritage Foods Ltd Executive ...

73% of India's fertiliser demand met via domestic production in 2025: Govt

This has happened as domestic production of fertilisers in 2025 reached an all-time record

Fall in nominal GVA also drags down real agriculture growth in FY26

The nominal growth rate of GVA of agriculture and allied activities is projected at a record low of just 0.8 per cent in FY26, down from 10.4 per cent in the last financial year

Wheat sowing almost complete, prospects bright this rabi: Agri Commissioner

India has nearly completed wheat sowing for the current rabi season, with crop conditions looking promising, Agriculture Commissioner PK Singh said on Thursday. Wheat was sown across 32.26 million hectares as of December 29 in the ongoing 2025-26 rabi (winter) season compared to a total coverage of 32.8 million hectares in the previous year, Singh said. "Barring some parts of Bihar, wheat sowing has been completed across the country. The total acreage may reach last year's level," Singh told PTI. More than 73 per cent of the sown area has been planted with climate-resilient and bio-fortified seed varieties that will help counter any weather aberrations, he noted. "Due to timely and early sowing, the prospects for the wheat crop look bright, and it is in excellent condition as of now. No problems have been reported from wheat-growing areas," the official said. Sowing of pulses and oilseeds has been completed, and rice planting will continue until January-end in southern India, he .

Record agri output in 2025 amid GST cuts, tariffs; new bill eyed for 2026

India's agriculture sector closed 2025 with a projection of record foodgrain output surpassing last year's 357.73 million tonnes (MT) despite US tariffs disrupting farm exports, while landmark GST reforms delivered input cost relief, and stakeholders await passage of key seed and pesticide bills in 2026 to tackle fake inputs. The year showed both resilience and fragility -- GST rate reductions delivered noticeable cost savings, while American tariff wall compelled market diversification, officials said. "We are hopeful of achieving record foodgrain production this year 2025-26 (July-June). Kharif output remained positive and rabi sowing is progressing well," Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi told PTI. Above-normal southwest monsoons boosted kharif sowing, with the agriculture ministry's first advance estimate projected kharif foodgrain output at a record 173.33 MT for 2025-26, up from 169.4 MT in 2024-25. Rice production is predicted to exceed 124.5 MT, with maize at 28.3 MT.

Year-ender 2025: Rural economy steadies as GST cuts offset weak crop prices

Lower crop prices and weak nominal farm growth weighed on rural incomes in 2025, but GST cuts, welfare support, and rising consumption helped stabilise demand and sentiment

Oilseed extractors plan far-East push as oil meal exports slow down

Indian oilseed extractors are planning a far-East outreach to revive oil meal exports amid weak global demand, rising competition from DDGS, and logistical advantages over US suppliers

Uttar Pradesh paddy procurement injects ₹5,000 crore into rural economy

The minimum support price (MSP) for paddy this season is ₹2,369 per quintal for common variety, and ₹2,389 per quintal for Grade A

eNAM 2.0 rollout hits trouble as Rajasthan flags data-migration glitches

Rajasthan has red-flagged major issues in the eNAM 2.0 pilot, with data-migration failures forcing mandis back to manual trading during peak harvest season

Nuvama says 'Buy' again on Coromandel Int'l; 3 drivers behind the call

Analysts at Nuvama expect Coromandel to clock ~15 per cent revenue compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next five years, with profitability improving as integration benefits materialise.

Gadkari bats for 'farmer producer companies' for agricultural development

Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday emphasised the need for "farmer producer companies" for the progress of cultivators. Addressing a workshop on farmer producer organisation, he said all problems of cultivators must be solved at commissionerate level in districts through the farmer producer company. "We need to form a organisation/ apex body of farmer producer company for the progress and development of farmers. With farmer producer company, they can utilise agriculture equipment, tractor, harvester and other things and it will make it easy to pay loans," he said. There is need to reduce cost of production and increase yields, he said. "This would make farmers prosperous," Gadkari said while underlining the need to use technology and AI to improve production. The workshop was organised by Agro Vision, of which Gadkari is chief mentor. The Union minister informed about various initiatives taken by Agro Vision to improve agriculture pattern and crop diversification.