Shivraj Singh Chouhan Reviews Agricultural Progress and Plans Strategic State Engagement for Farm Issues

Shri Chouhan noted that critical crops like wheat, rice, gram, mustard, and sesame are fetching prices higher than the Minimum Support Price (MSP), signaling healthy market conditions.

Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, convened a high-level review meeting with senior officials from the Agriculture Ministry to assess the progress of rabi sowing, evaluate market trends, and discuss pest surveillance mechanisms.

The meeting covered key topics, including:

• Progress of Rabi Sowing: The sown area as of January 17, 2025, stands at 640 lakh hectares, surpassing last year’s 637.49 lakh hectares by 2.51 lakh hectares. Crop conditions are reported as better overall compared to the previous year.
• Weather and Pest Surveillance: Discussions included leveraging the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS) to proactively address pest-related challenges and ensure healthy crop yields.
• Market Dynamics: Week-on-week price changes were reviewed, revealing:
  • Price Increases: Wheat (0.46%), Mustard (0.14%), and Soybean (0.25%).
  • Price Decreases: Arhar (1.22%), Rice (1.20%), Gram (0.67%), Potato (6.34%), and Tomato (6.79%).
• Import and Export Strategies: Emphasis was placed on enhancing India’s agricultural trade policies for global competitiveness.

Shri Chouhan noted that critical crops like wheat, rice, gram, mustard, and sesame are fetching prices higher than the Minimum Support Price (MSP), signaling healthy market conditions.

Strengthening State-Central Collaboration

The Minister emphasized the necessity of robust coordination between the Centre and State Governments. He announced plans for regular consultations with State Agriculture Ministers to address localized issues effectively. Shri Chouhan urged Ministry officials to engage consistently with their state counterparts, ensuring that solutions are tailored to ground-level challenges.

Enhanced Rabi Coverage and Strategic Crops

The sowing of Rabi crops, including Tomato, Onion, and Potato (TOP), has shown increased coverage compared to the same period last year. Shri Chouhan highlighted the importance of strategic planning for these high-demand crops to stabilize prices and improve supply chain efficiency.

Initiatives for Farmer Welfare

In addition to addressing immediate agricultural concerns, Shri Chouhan reiterated the government’s commitment to empowering farmers through:

• Improved Pest Surveillance: Expanding NPSS to provide real-time updates and solutions for pest management.
• Market Accessibility: Strengthening mandi infrastructure and e-NAM (National Agriculture Market) platforms for better price realization.
• Climate-Resilient Farming: Developing programs to counter the impact of erratic weather patterns on crop yields.

 

Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressed optimism about the current Rabi season’s progress and pledged continued efforts to resolve agricultural challenges. He emphasized that coordinated efforts between the Centre and States would bolster India’s agricultural sector, ensuring food security and farmer prosperity.

The meeting marks a pivotal step in aligning national and state-level strategies for achieving long-term agricultural growth and resilience.