Farmers

Fertiliser sales plunge in select border districts after farmer-ID checks

The sharp decline in offtake has raised questions about the extent of earlier fertiliser diversion, including the possible cross-border smuggling of subsidised urea

Trump announces $8 billion fuel aid for US farmers amid diesel price surge

The Trump administration has announced $8 billion in fuel relief for US farmers facing soaring diesel costs during the harvest, with payments based on acreage and production expenses

Women expand footprint across farming, research and agri-tech ecosystem

Women now account for a significant share of work across crop, horticulture, livestock, fisheries, and post-harvest value chains, while also expanding their role in research and agri-tech

FPOs formed after central scheme driven by target pressure: Report

FPOs formed before 2021 had a median paid-up capital of ₹5 lakh, compared with ₹1 lakh for newer entities, while seven in ten surveyed FPOs lacked institutional credit

Centre to set up high-level committee to address sugarcane farmers' issues

The Centre on Monday decided to set up a high-level joint committee within a week to address the grievances of sugarcane farmers from Maharashtra and Karnataka, after nearly three hours of talks between two Union ministers and representatives of farmer bodies in the national capital. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Food Minister Pralhad Joshi held detailed discussions at the Pusa campus with a delegation of farmers from the two major sugarcane-growing states. About 80-90 farmers from different organisations attended, along with state ministers. With sugar mills set to begin crushing in the 2026-27 season, which started on October 1, farmers have sought a higher support price, citing rising production costs. They have also demanded that the minimum selling price (MSP) of sugar be raised from Rs 31 per kg to Rs 50 per kg. In a statement issued after the meeting, Chouhan said the discussions covered ground-level issues, including discrepancies in recovery figures .

From farmers to shopkeepers, India counts the cost of a weak monsoon

Rice yields have fallen after erratic monsoon rains, while higher farm input costs threaten rural incomes and spending during the key wedding and festival season

Agri-tech startup Grow Indigo pays farmers for selling carbon credits

Agri-tech start-up makes payouts of Rs 3,000-15,000 to farmers from its own funds as carbon credits have not yet been fully sold to prospective buyers

Brics nations propose deeper information sharing on farm genetic resources

BRICS nations propose new networks for agro-inputs, digital farming and genetic resources to strengthen agricultural cooperation and promote climate-resilient farming

Agriculture, allied sectors clock 3.6% GVA growth in Q1FY27: MoSPI data

Agriculture and allied activities' GVA growth slowed from 4.4 per cent a year ago, while experts expect full-year FY27 growth at around 3.5-4 per cent

Govt expands digital fertiliser tracking system to link farmers, subsidies

The Department has also worked to integrate iFMS with farmer, land and crop databases

Agriculture ministry teams work to bridge farmgate-retail gap in onions

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan says ministry teams are examining the gap between prices received by farmers and those paid by consumers for onions

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

El Niño unlikely to hurt kharif production much: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Chouhan said that integrated farming systems and models based on local resources should be developed to enhance farmers' incomes, urging officials to set clear goals and implement concrete roadmaps

Drones take the field in Indian agriculture as services expand for farmers

Driven by on-demand models, startups and government programmes are making the tech accessible and affordable for farmers

Oil palm mission meets 42% of 650,000 hectare target; no higher aid planned

The Centre's oil palm mission achieved 42% of its 650,000 hectare target by 2025-26, while the government ruled out higher financial assistance under the programme

Seeds bill could undermine sovereign rights of farmers: Advocacy group

BBSM raises concerns over Draft Seeds Bill 2025, warning it may impact farmers' seed rights and biodiversity, while experts seek a permanent ban on paraquat

TN introduces carbon trading for farmers, launches ₹600 cr soil mission

Facing severe climate uncertainties, including the anticipated Super El Nino phenomenon, the Tamil Nadu government on Thursday rolled out a series of climate-resilient initiatives in its Agriculture budget 2026-27, featuring a carbon trading scheme for farmers and a multi-year soil restoration drive. Presenting the budget, Tamil Nadu Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare R Vinoth allocated Rs 60 lakh to launch demonstration projects across 2,000 acres and develop monitoring and verification protocols for carbon trading. Under the scheme, farmers will be enabled to earn supplementary income through carbon credits by adopting existing sustainable cultivation methods, specifically emission-reducing practices such as Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) and Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation techniques. These established cultivation practices are estimated to cut greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 50 per cent while promoting carbon sequestration in agricultural soils, the .

Chouhan voices strong support for ethanol programme in farmers' interest

Agriculture minister says ethanol policy should strengthen energy security while ensuring remunerative prices for farmers and equitable treatment of all feedstock crops

Haryana seals Shambhu border as farmers head for Mahapanchayat in Delhi

Farmer leader from Punjab, Sarwan Singh Pandher, on Tuesday morning slammed the Haryana government for barricading the Shambhu border point to prevent them from heading towards Delhi to participate in the Kisan Mahapanchayat against the proposed India-US trade deal. Heavy police deployment was made at the Shambhu border point between Punjab and Haryana, with barricades erected and cemented blocks placed at the bridge over Ghaggar river. A day-long "Kisan Mahapanchayat" has been planned against the proposed India-US trade deal at Delhi's Kisan Ghat under the banner of "Desh Bachao Morcha". Farmer leaders had earlier said that participants from several places, including Punjab and Haryana, would take part in the Mahapanchayat. Farmers from several places in Punjab have planned to move towards Delhi in buses. Pandher said farmers wanted to proceed peacefully to Delhi, but the Haryana government was stopping them at the Shambhu border. Speaking to reporters in Fatehgarh Sahib, Pandhe

Onion growers urge Maharashtra govt to prioritise rain-hit farmers

An onion-growers' body on Saturday urged the Maharashtra government to show the same urgency for rain-affected farmers as it does for traffic disruptions like the recent Mumbai-Pune expressway landslide. The Maharashtra State Onion Growers' Association president Bharat Dighole stated that while inconvenience caused to commuters during heavy rains got immediate attention, the financial losses suffered by farmers due to recurring natural calamities and crashing crop prices are rarely met with equal concern. "When traffic comes to a standstill in cities for a few hours, the entire state's attention is drawn to it. But when excessive rains, hailstorms, unseasonal showers, floods or drought destroy farmers' crops, the same amount of concern is rarely seen," Dighole noted in a statement. He pointed out that farmers battle crop diseases, erratic weather, price crashes and transport bottlenecks, often suffering losses worth lakhs of rupees in a single day, yet continue farming with ...