Page 16 - Agriculture

Centre to expand area under DSR rice to 40% by 2030, solution in the weeds

Weed management remains the biggest challenge in the adoption of the direct seeded rice method; to counter this, popularisation of herbicide-resistant rice is critical, say experts

Shivraj Singh Chouhan to discuss IWT benefits with farmers at Pusa campus

The Agriculture Minister will meet farmers from North India to explain how putting the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance will secure water access and safeguard livelihoods

Over 4 million Beedi workers likely to get relief on pension math

Labour min to examine classifying beedi industry as 'seasonal' establishments

LTIMindtree bags record $450 million deal with global agribusiness firm

As part of the deal LTIMindtree will implement an AI-powered operating model to deliver application management infrastructure support and cybersecurity services

Policy to plate: What genome-edited rice means for India's food future

The release of genome-edited rice marks a policy and scientific shift, positioning India to lead biotech-driven farming amid climate, resource, and food security challenges

Centre to reach 15 mn farmers via seed campaign by June 12: Chouhan

The Centre will launch a national campaign from May 29 to June 12 to promote new seed varieties and farm technologies across 700 districts, reaching up to 15 million farmers

Increasing productivity: Genome-edited rice varieties to boost yields

Critically, gene-editing technologies like SDN1 do not introduce foreign deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), distinguishing them from traditional genetically modified (GM) organisms

Anti-GM groups slam ICAR over release of genome-edited rice varieties

The Coalition for a GM-Free India has criticised the release of two genome-edited rice varieties, calling the move unscientific, risky, and a threat to seed sovereignty

APEDA mulls strategies to boost agricultural, processed food exports

The commerce ministry's arm APEDA is mulling formulation of strategies to boost export of agricultural and processed food products from India, an official statement said on Sunday. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Authority (APEDA) held an inter-ministerial dialogue to deliberate on the strategy last week here. Representatives from state governments, policy experts, industry leaders from agri trade and processed foods sector also participated in the discussions Speaking at the forum, Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal said that the government is committed to reducing logistical barriers and enhancing market access for Indian agri and processed food products. He added that academia and research institutions must be part of multi-sectoral consultations so that research and development can be a major focus for innovation and sustainability in agri exports. Agricultural production and productivity both are the need of the hour, the secretary has said, adding the ministry wi

Tendu patta collection target remains unchanged in Chattisgarh for 2025

Over 1.4 million collectors would be the beneficiaries even as the state government would pay ₹920 as remuneration if the target had been achieved

Centre hikes sugarcane FRP by Rs 15 per quintal for 2025-26 season

This is 4.2 per cent more than the FRP for the 2024-25 sugar season, which will conclude in September

Coromandel International Q4 results: Profit rises over two-fold to ₹578 cr

Coromandel's total income for the quarter ended March 2025 was at Rs 5,114 crore versus Rs 3,996 crore for the quarter ended March 2024, up 28 per cent

For a sector to flower: Tapping India's vast floriculture opportunities

Studies have indicated that cultivation of flowers is more profitable than many traditional crops, especially in small and marginal farms, which constitute more than 90% of country's landholdings

ICAR clears release of improved fodder crop by Ranchi agri university

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has recommended the release of an improved variety of fodder crop, Birsa Lathyrus-1, developed by scientists at the Ranchi-based Birsa Agricultural University (BAU). According to a statement from BAU, the new variety was developed under the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on fodder crops. The average green fodder yield (GFY) of this variety, released for the country's north east zone and central zone, is 190 quintals per hectare, which is 6.3 per cent more than that obtained from national check variety Mahateora, the statement said. The variety, moderately resistant to leaf blight in the north east zone, is also suitable for timely-sown, normal fertility and under irrigated conditions of Jharkhand, it said. "This variety carries per cent crude protein which is 4-5 per cent higher than the national check. It gives a seed yield of 8.3 quintal per hectare, which is 15 per cent superior to the check variety Mahateora," i

If agri growth rate rises, rural youth won't migrate to cities: Gadkari

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday emphasised the need to increase agriculture growth rate and purchasing power in rural India to prevent migration of rural youth to cities. Addressing an event here, Gadkari said currently the government's minimum support prices for agriculture crops are way higher then commercial market prices. "If agriculture growth rate increases then rural youth will not be forced migrate to metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai for livelihood," he said. According to him, the growth rate in agriculture will lead to increase in purchasing power of rural population. Gadkari also emphasised the need for more intensive use of bamboo resources in the country, saying bamboo can create employment opportunities and contribute to rural development. He pointed out that the use of bamboo in the energy sector will help India in reducing import of fossils fuels. Gadkari said bamboo has the potential to be used as an alternative to coal and ca

A below-par monsoon could imperil Bihar's agri sector, Assembly elections

If rainfall is below average this year, too, it would mark it as the fourth consecutive year that the agriculturally important state would get lesser rains from the Southwest monsoon

Tractor sales likely to hit record high in FY26 on monsoon, MSP hike

Pre-buying ahead of TREM V norms, rising construction activity to fuel demand; margins remain stable

Favourable outlook: A good monsoon may lead to growth-enhancing steps

Despite improvements in irrigation coverage, precipitation during the southwest monsoon remains crucial for agricultural production

India urges global focus on small farmers at Brics agriculture meet

India on Friday pitched for placing small and marginal farmers at the centre of global agricultural strategies, saying they cannot face climate change, price volatility and resource scarcity challenges alone. Speaking at the 15th BRICS Agriculture Ministers meeting in Brazil, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said global food security goals would remain unfulfilled unless small farmers are protected and empowered. "We cannot leave smallholders to fight these challenges alone. They need our policy support," Chouhan said, describing agriculture as not merely an economic activity but a source of "livelihood, food, and dignity" for millions. Chouhan presented cluster-based farming, farmer producer organisations, cooperative models and natural farming as effective approaches for empowering small farmers and improving their market access, the Agriculture Ministry said in a statement. The meeting underscored the need for fair agricultural trade, control of global price volatility

Pest and disease attacks on crops rising due to climate change: Scientist

Prasanna talks about some of the challenges that climate change poses to agriculture and ways to handle them