Agriculture Sector

Govt moves to ban widely used plant protection chemical, Carbosulfan

An expert panel recommended a complete prohibition citing toxicity risks and lack of a specific antidote, while the agrochemical industry warned of pest-management and economic consequences

Centre raps states for tardy progress in digital agriculture mission

The Centre has questioned states over delays in implementing the Digital Agriculture Mission, with 61 per cent of India's sown area linked to Farmer IDs

Shivraj Chouhan asks states to ensure full saturation of farm schemes

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday asked states to achieve 100 per cent saturation under the Digital Agriculture Mission and the Pulses Self-Reliance Mission, stressing that scheme benefits must reflect "in the fields and farmers' pockets", not merely in official reports. Addressing a national conference at Pusa, Chouhan said state governments that executed the schemes with seriousness exceeded 100 per cent of their targets, while others lagged. He asked all states to work within committed timelines. The minister said the Farmer ID, under which payments are credited directly to farmers' bank accounts, is a key transparency measure. Citing Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, he said the Centre had already released funds to generate Farmer IDs and conduct camps, but cautioned that meeting the one-month turnaround for IDs would require camps to run without fund diversion. According to data shared at the conference, 10.41 crore Farmer IDs have been generated so far

HELM AG, Parijat enters into strategic tie up in agrochemical space

The partnership spans digital commerce, branded crop protection products, technical manufacturing and international distribution across India and overseas markets

Hindustan Urvarak explores new projects for next phase of growth

HURL is exploring green urea and coal gasification projects while considering ammonium sulphate and NPK production at its Barauni and Sindri units

AgriStack DPI to plug gaps in data collection system, says government

To overhaul the system, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare approved the DAM for the creation of a DPI to enable a robust digital agriculture ecosystem in the country.

US, Japan urge India to address export restrictions in farm sector

The US and Japan urged India at the WTO to ease agricultural export restrictions, improve trade predictability and address non-tariff barriers during its Trade Policy Review

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.

Coimbatore's Deccan Pumps in talks with US agtech major for stake sale

The proposed minority stake sale could pave the way for the US firm's entry into India's water-tech sector and strengthen innovation in precision irrigation and agtech

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 must move surplus labour out of agriculture, says NITI's Ashok Lahiri

Country must create efficient farm markets and replace subsidies with direct income transfers, the NITI Aayog vice chairman said

Coromandel, Samunnati partner to improve agri-input access for FPOs

The collaboration will leverage Samunnati's FPO network and Coromandel's agri expertise to improve access to farm inputs, financing and technology adoption

Centre plans farmer outreach campaign from June on soil over El Nino worry

Centre will begin a month-long 'Save the Fields' campaign from June 1, offering crop-specific advisories and climate-resilient farming guidance as IMD lowers its monsoon forecast

India's fertiliser sector reforms: Time for action on import dependence

West Asia tensions expose India's fertiliser vulnerabilities, reviving calls for subsidy reform, nutrient balance and a shift towards green ammonia

India's fertiliser imports from China jump 173% in FY26, shows data

Russia retained its position as the top source of India's fertiliser imports. It accounted for 6.8 million tonnes of imports, as against 4.9 million tonnes in FY25

IFAD looking to make 3-4 direct investments in India in next one year: AVP

IFAD's AVP Donal Brown said that the funding agency is now increasingly looking to fund 3-4 direct investments in the private sector over the next year

Govt raises paddy MSP by ₹72 to ₹2,441/quintal for 2026-27 Kharif season

The government on Wednesday raised the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy by Rs 72 to Rs 2,441 per quintal for the 2026-27 kharif marketing season. A decision in this regard was taken in the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The support price for common and A-grade varieties has been increased by Rs 72 per quintal to Rs 2,441 and Rs 2,461 per quintal, respectively, for the 2026-27 kharif marketing season (September-October). Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the MSP is 50 per cent more than the cost of production. "Estimated payout to farmers would be Rs 2.60 lakh crore and annual procurement estimated at 824.41 lakh tonne," he added.

Rajasthan govt says enough fertiliser stock for Kharif 2026 amid Oppn flak

Rajasthan assures adequate fertiliser stocks for Kharif, but West Asia tensions and import risks keep concerns over future supply disruptions alive

India's fertiliser production sees weakest growth in 13 years in FY26

India's fertiliser output contracts in FY26, hit by LNG shortages and shutdowns, marking the sector's weakest performance in over a decade

Rising input costs, West Asia war risks weigh on fertiliser sector margins

Rising input costs, supply risks and subsidy pressures amid West Asia tensions could squeeze margins and impact fertiliser output and agricultural demand