Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Chouhan asks ICAR scientists to explore non-GMO ways to raise pulses yield

Shivraj Singh Chouhan urges ICAR to find non-GMO solutions to boost pulses and oilseed yields as the council unveils its agriculture roadmap for 2047

India must cut pulse, oilseed imports through higher yield: Shivraj Chouhan

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday asked the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to intensify efforts to raise productivity in pulses and oilseeds, sectors where India continues to rely heavily on imports. "If countries without access to GM seeds can get better yields in pulses, why can't India?" Chouhan said, addressing scientists at the 98th ICAR Foundation Day. Chouhan pointed out that farmers with access to irrigation tend to shift toward rice and wheat cultivation -- a pattern he said has played out across Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and other parts of eastern India as irrigation coverage expanded, pushing the country to depend on pulse imports to meet demand. Citing yield comparisons, the minister noted that an acre under maize can produce over 100 quintals, against roughly 30-35 quintals for rice and just about 5 quintals for pulses such as gram or moong. He called the gap "a direct challenge" for ICAR scientists to close. Chouhan also flagg

Kharif acreage gap can be bridged as sowing continues till Aug 15: Chouhan

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said there is a possibility to compensate shortfall in acreage under Kharif crops as sowing operations continue till August 15. He asserted that the government is keeping a close watch on the rainfall situation and the ongoing sowing operations. "There is still time for sowing of Kharif crops. Sowing happens till August 15. There was less rain during June but there has been good rainfall in the first week of July. There is a possibility of good rainfall after July 20," Chouan told reporters on the sidelines of a conference organised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). At present, the area under coverage for Kharif crops is less than the year-ago period, the minister said. "We are keeping a close eye on the situation," Chouhan said, adding that the Centre is ensuring that farmers receive all inputs, including seeds and fertilisers, on time. Asked whether the sowing would improve going forward to make up for

Chouhan calls for a mass tree planting movement for greener future

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday called for a mass tree planting movement for a greener future. Addressing the 'Paryavaran Sanrakshan Sankalp' and 'Vriksh Mitra Dialogue' here at the PUSA campus, Chouhan said every family celebrate occasions such as birthdays, wedding anniversaries, the birth of children and the remembrance of departed parents by planting trees, thereby turning every personal milestone into a 'Tree Festival'. He urged every Vriksh Mitra to plant at least one tree annually and inspire at least five more people to join the campaign, with participants publicly sharing their commitment on social media to build a strong nationwide network by "Hariyali Amavasya" on August 12. The minister also unveiled a comprehensive roadmap to transform environmental protection into a structured mass campaign, drawing upon suggestions from Vriksh Mitras during the interaction. The minister further proposed the formation of 'Vriksh Mitra Parivar' committees at the ..

Monsoon to pick up in July, boost kharif crop sowing: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said stronger July rains are expected to improve kharif sowing after a delayed monsoon affected crop planting

Mobile app soon to help farmers assess soil health: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said the government will soon come out with a mobile app for farmers to help them assess soil health, while stressing on balanced and judicious use of fertilisers. The minister also advocated adoption of organic farming practices to naturally reduce dependency on chemical fertilisers. Addressing a gathering during the closing ceremony of 'Khet Bachao Abhiyaan' at Bawal in Haryana's Rewari district, Chouhan expressed concern over the indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers. The month-long 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' was launched from Raisen district in Madhya Pradesh on June 1. The minister said soon, farmers will be able to download an app on their mobile phones. "You will stand in your field, and your mobile will tell you what nutrients are in your soil and how much fertiliser should be applied. We are working on this too, so that you do not face difficulties. By using technology, I again request you to use balanced ...

Rahul Gandhi expresses regret in defamation case filed by Shivraj's son

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday filed an application before the Madhya Pradesh High Court expressing regret for his allegedly defamatory statement about Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's son Kartikeya Singh. Kartikeya Singh has filed a defamation complaint in a Bhopal court against the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Gandhi's application, filed by his lawyer, said that his statement did not concern Singh. Kartikeya Singh filed the defamation complaint against Rahul Gandhi in the Bhopal court for cases against MPs-MLAs, alleging that during an election rally in Jhabua in 2018, the Congress leader mentioned his name while referring to the Panama Papers leak scandal, thus damaging his reputation. The court issued a summons to Gandhi for personal appearance, following which the Congress leader moved the Jabalpur bench of the High Court seeking to quash the summons as well as the defamation case. The High Court will hear Gandhi's petition on Thursday. The petition

India has enough fertiliser stocks, prepared for El Nino: Chouhan

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday assured that enough fertilizer stocks were available in the country, and also stated that the government had made preparations to handle the possible El Nino impact. Urea and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) would continue to be available at subsidised rates despite concerns over supplies amid the West Asia crisis, he said. India has adequate fertiliser stocks for the ongoing kharif season and the government is taking all necessary steps to ensure sufficient availability for the rabi crop cycle as well, he said. "Our government has decided that farmers will continue to get urea and DAP at affordable rates. The government is bearing the burden of increased prices," Chouhan told reporters after the conclusion of the five-day BRICS agriculture meeting in Indore. "This will put an additional burden of thousands of crores of rupees on the exchequer, but we are prepared to bear it in the interest of farmers," he added. "Our govern

Centre announces ₹95,692 crore interim allocation under VB-G RAM G

The interim allocation comes ahead of the formal launch of VB-G RAM G on July 1, 2026, across the country

Indore to host Brics meet on food security, farmer welfare: Shivraj Chouhan

A five-day meeting of the BRICS grouping will commence in Indore on Tuesday to discuss food security, smart farming, global agricultural trade and farmer welfare, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday. The discussions under India's presidency will include a three-day agriculture working group meeting from June 9 and a two-day BRICS ministerial meeting from June 12, he said. BRICS is an intergovernmental organisation comprising eleven major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia. Highlighting the significance of the meeting, Chouhan said BRICS is a very strong voice of the developing countries in the world. "Around half of the world's population dwells in BRICS countries. It has 42 per cent of the global agricultural land and accounts for more than 42 per cent of the produce. Of the 58 crore farmers across the world, 70 per cent small cultivators live in BR

Chouhan reviews monsoon progress, flags El Nino risk; govt on alert mode

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday reviewed the progress of southwest monsoon and directed officials to provide timely farm advisories and maintain better coordination with states to tackle the potential impact of El Nino on kharif crops. The government is on "alert mode", Chouhan said, asking officials to maintain constant check on monsoon status. "Ensure better coordination with states and take prompt action," Chouhan told officials in the meeting. He also asked them to provide timely advisories and essential assistance to farmers, an official statement said. Measures to safeguard farmers' interests and mitigate the impact on kharif crops were discussed in detail, it said. Officials from all departments and agencies concerned were present in the meeting. The southwest monsoon is expected to onset over Kerala around June 4, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday. Typically, rains arrive in Kerala around June 1, marking the beginning o

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

Govt fully prepared for El Nino impact on kharif crops: Shivraj Singh

The Centre is fully prepared to mitigate any adverse impact of the El Nino weather phenomenon on this year's kharif crop, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Thursday, as he called for integrated farming and greater self-reliance in pulses and oilseeds. "Rather than worrying, preparation is required. Contingency plans will be made for affected districts and crop changes will be considered wherever necessary," Chouhan told reporters on the sidelines of the two-day National Kharif Conference here. The Ministry is in the process of identifying districts for alternative crops and ensuring seed availability in the event of an El Nino impact, he said. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had, in its first-stage forecast on April 13, projected a below-normal southwest monsoon for 2026, with rainfall likely to be around 92 per cent of the long-period average. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has indicated a probable return of El Nino conditions as early

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 is trying to secure fertiliser supplies from 28 countries: Chouhan

Shivraj Singh Chouhan said India is engaging with 28 countries for fertiliser supplies while urging farmers to adopt organic and climate-resilient farming practices

ICAR to introduce performance ranking system for all institutions

Agri minister Shivraj Chouhan issues showcause notice to ICAR's Grapes Research Institute for administrative lapses

Chouhan finds functional gaps at ICAR's grape research institute in Pune

Calls for quick action in developing new varieties; highlights slow progress in clean plant programme

Shivraj cuts convoy size, pushes work-from-home to save fuel amid crisis

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday reduced his convoy to three vehicles and directed officials to work from home as part of measures to implement Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "seven appeals" for responsible fuel consumption amid the West Asia crisis. Chairing a meeting of officials from the Agriculture and Rural Development ministries, Chouhan asked departments to submit an action plan on work-from-home policy within two days and urged staff to adopt carpooling. He said foreign travel would be undertaken only when absolutely essential and most meetings would be held virtually, an official statement said. Officers and staff were asked to refrain from purchasing non-essential gold and encourage at least five other individuals to do the same. On the agriculture front, the minister announced setting up of a committee in every village to promote balanced use of fertilisers and natural farming on a large scale. Chouhan said edible oils should be used judiciou

VB-G RAM G replacing MGNREGA to come into force across India from July 1

The Centre has notified the VB-G RAM G Act, replacing MGNREGA from July 1, 2026, with a 125 day rural employment guarantee and expanded infrastructure creation mandate

Wheat production to surpass last year's level, says Shivraj Chouhan

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said the country's wheat production in the ongoing 2025-26 crop year (July-June) is likely to surpass last year's 117.94 million tonne despite localised damage caused due to unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms. "We believe wheat production to be better than last year," Chouhan told reporters on the sidelines of an event here. The crop is good and there would be a record procurement, he added. Harvesting of wheat -- the main rabi (winter) crop - is almost completed in major growing states. Its procurement is in full swing. The agriculture ministry had projected a wheat production of 120.21 million tonnes in 2025-26 prior to unseasonal rains, higher than last year's actual output. However, the Roller Flour Millers' Federation of India (RFFI) projected on April 14 that output would decline marginally, factoring in recent weather damage. Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra sought to bridge the gap between the two estimates. "While the ...