Page 3 - Agriculture

Tripura eyes bigger global pineapple market with ₹236-crore 'Mission Queen'

The Queen variety of pineapple, found in Tripura, is known for its exceptional sweetness, fibreless pulp, aroma, and quality

Himachal exports first cherry, plum consignment to Oman via air cargo

Revenue and Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi on Saturday flagged off the first export consignment of 400 kg of cherries and 400 kg of plums to Oman from Chandigarh via air cargo. The fruits were produced by six progressive farmers from the Jadol-Tikkar and Bagi areas of Shimla district. This marks a historic and proud moment for Himachal Pradesh's horticulture sector, a statement issued here said. Negi said that the Middle East and Gulf countries are emerging as large and promising export markets for Himachal Pradesh's fruits and this initiative would open new international market opportunities for the state's stone fruits and play a significant role in ensuring better and more remunerative prices for farmers. The minister said this is only the beginning, and efforts would be expanded in the future to explore export opportunities for apples and other horticultural produce as well. He added that the Himachal Pradesh Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation ..

El Niño & markets: The signal and the noise for investors amid uncertainty

The strongest El Niño signal appears in the rural economy; market outcomes are often shaped by more powerful forces

El Nino is a global crisis, keeping close watch on situation: Piyush Goyal

Goyal said the government is prepared and focused on safeguarding farmers' interests. "If a water crisis arises, all necessary steps to tackle it will be taken," he assured

RBI defers implementation of revised KCC directions to January 2027

The central bank has postponed implementation of revised Kisan Credit Card norms by six months after considering operational and technology-related concerns

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

Datanomics: Both PPI inflation, GVA deflators show farmer distress in FY26

PPI and GVA deflators both signal lower farm prices in FY26, reinforcing concerns over farmer earnings despite debate over how agricultural output is measured

Ethanol beyond E20: Why India's clean fuel plan needs a water audit

India's ethanol push is moving beyond E20, but experts say higher blending must also account for groundwater stress and regional water limits

Fixing Fertiliser: Urea subsidy cannot be allowed to continue unreformed

With fertiliser subsidies set to hit record levels, India faces growing pressure to reform urea pricing and shift support directly to farmers

Farmers procure 3.5 times more organic manure this kharif season

India imports a large quantity of urea and di-ammonium phosphate to meet local demand. Total domestic production of fertilisers, including urea

Agriculture needs dual approach to tackle El Nino, build climate resilience

El Nino is a natural phenomenon in the eastern Pacific Ocean that influences global weather patterns, including India's monsoon

Plans afoot to counter El Niño threat to kharif crops, says Chouhan

The ministry is in the process of identifying districts for alternative crops and ensuring seed availability in the event of an El Nino impact, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said

Organised plywood industry flags diversion of agriculture-grade urea

The organised plywood sector has urged the Centre to curb diversion of subsidised agricultural urea into industrial use amid rising fertiliser subsidy costs and supply pressures

Day after PM's meeting, Chouhan pushes result-oriented governance model

Dedicated teams of at least 10 officers each will review grievances, representations, citizen complaints across ministries on a daily basis

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

Rajasthan's 260K farmers to get subsidised seeds for pulse and oilseed crop

Rajasthan to provide subsidised pulse and oilseed seeds to 2.6 lakh farmers under ₹135-crore central mission scheme

CACP warns fertiliser DBT may hurt agricultural output, reduce usage

The Commission suggested that digital platforms such as AgriStack should be leveraged to contain imbalanced use of soil nutrients and reduce the subsidy burden without affecting farm production

Rajasthan govt signs ₹1,679 crore agricultural MoUs ahead of GRAM-2026

Rajasthan has secured ₹1,679 crore in agri-sector investment proposals ahead of the Global Rajasthan Agri-tech Meet-2026 in Jaipur

Conflict in the backyard: Wild animal attacks are pushing farmers into debt

Rising attacks by wild animals are inflicting massive crop losses across India, deepening rural distress and testing the balance between conservation and livelihoods

IBA calls for 10% manure blending with fertilisers to save $2 bn imports

The Indian Biogas Association (IBA) has called for 10 per cent mandatory blending of fermented organic manure with chemical fertilisers by 2030 saying it can save USD 2 billion in imports annually. The IBA recently presented a white paper: FOM Feeds Soil, Soil Feeds Sustainability. The white paper was released by Union New & Renewable Energy Secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi during BBB Summit 2026 held from May 7 to 9, an IBA statement said. The white paper proposes a phased mandate to achieve 10 per cent blending of Fermented Organic Manure (FOM) with chemical fertilizers by 2030, positioning it as a critical intervention to restore India's declining soil health and accelerate the transition to sustainable agriculture. It outlined a comprehensive policy framework, the recommendation calls for integrating FOM into existing flagship government schemes such as the Nutrient-Based Subsidy (NBS) framework, Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme, and Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY). The ..