Ministry Of Agriculture

Drought-hit crops, rising costs may drive up India's farm commodity imports

Drought-hit soybean and groundnut crops, concerns over mustard output and high feed costs could raise imports of edible oils, soybean meal, maize, sugar and other farm commodities

Govt achieves 110 mn farmer ID target 5 months ahead of deadline: Chouhan

The target was reached on October 23, while integration with fertiliser sales systems has led to sharp reductions in sales in select border and pilot districts

Govt forms Ramesh Chand-led panel to examine sugarcane farmers' demands

The panel will review sugarcane farmers' returns, the minimum selling price of sugar, recovery testing and deductions in mechanically harvested cane

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

Cabinet raises wheat MSP by ₹25 to ₹2,610 per quintal for 2027-28

The MSPs of pulses and oilseeds were increased by higher amounts, ranging between ₹83 and ₹675 per quintal (between 1.41 per cent and 10.32 per cent)

Centre clears ₹5,547.99 crore pulses, oilseeds procurement under PSS

The Centre has approved procurement of pulses and oilseeds worth ₹5,547.99 crore at MSP in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana for Kharif 2026-27

Centre, states must work together for farmers welfare: Shivraj Chouhan

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday said the Centre would extend full cooperation to the states to improve farmers' welfare and increase their income

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

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

How prolonged heat, erratic rains are making eggs and chicken costlier

A prolonged heatwave, delayed monsoon, expensive poultry feed have squeezed production across farms, pushing egg and chicken prices higher, raising concerns over how long the supply crunch could last

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

Centre to hold regional meets to boost agriculture policy execution

Centre will organise regional agriculture conferences in April-May to improve policy execution, strengthen Centre-State coordination, and address implementation bottlenecks

Agriculture Minister renews push for DBT of fertiliser subsidy to farmers

Shivraj Singh Chouhan says it would give them the freedom to choose which fertilisers to buy and in what quantities

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 ...

Shivraj Chouhan hits out at Congress for 'spreading lies' on US trade deal

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday launched a sharp attack on the opposition Congress for "spreading lies" about the India-US trade agreement, asserting that the Narendra Modi government has completely safeguarded the interests of the farming community. Addressing the 64th convocation ceremony of ICAR-IARI, Chouhan said that not only the trade deal with the US, but all free trade agreements with other countries, including the one with Europe, have been done in the national interest. "All the FTAs, including one with the EU and other countries, are all in the interest of the country. The deal with the US is in India's national interest and completely safeguarded. The interests of the farmers have been kept at the top," Chouhan said. In an apparent reference to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the minister said some people are creating a "ruckus" on this issue. "They are creating a ruckus and saying we are looted. We are ruined. Everything is destroyed. Nation is sold

Govt aims to present Seeds Bill in Parliament in February: Agri secy

Government plans to introduce the Seeds Bill 2025 in Parliament's Budget session, mandating registration and quality norms while protecting farmers' rights

Govt to extend Farmer Producer Organisations scheme for five more years

The government will extend its central scheme for Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) for another five years from 2026-31, addressing gaps that have limited the scaling up of operations, Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi said on Friday. Addressing the CII FPO Summit here, Chaturvedi said the scheme, launched in February 2020 with a target of forming 10,000 FPOs, needs to be extended for the next finance commission cycle. "About 10,000 FPOs have been formed but they have to be handheld. Many of the FPOs have been formed in the last two years, so we have to handhold them with community-based organisations and implementing agencies," he explained to PTI on the sidelines of the event. The ministry has identified practical difficulties in making FPOs successful, including capacity building and access to capital loans. "We will try to incorporate these in the new scheme so that they become very efficient, energetic and dynamic in terms of giving returns to the farmers," he said in

ICAR rejects GM-Free India's claims of data rigging in genome rice

Coalition alleges trial data of Pusa DST-1 and DRR Dhan 100 rice varieties was rigged to show higher yields; ICAR calls the claims baseless and politically motivated

Committee on MSP held 45 meetings so far, says agriculture minister

The committee on Minimum Support Price (MSP), headed by former agriculture secretary Sanjay Agrawal, has held 45 meetings so far, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Friday in Rajya Sabha. The committee was established in July 2022, eight months after the government promised to set up such a panel while withdrawing the three contentious farm laws. "Overall, 45 meetings, including 39 sub-committee/ sub-group meetings have been held till date," Chouhan said in his written reply to the Upper House. The minister asserted that the government is committed that the full benefits of MSP reach the farmers of the country. The minister explained that the committee was constituted to give suggestions on making the MSP system more effective and transparent. Additionally, the committee was asked to examine the feasibility of giving greater autonomy to the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and ways to make it more scientific. "With a view to ensuring higher pric

India-US talks: Chouhan says govt will adjust duties to ban apple imports

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announces plans to adjust duties on apple imports to boost domestic production, while addressing concerns from J&K and Himachal Pradesh growers