agriculture | DD News

July 8, 2026 6:34 PM

AI can add Rs 70,000 crore to India’s farm economy, agri-startups key to future: Jitendra Singh

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to add nearly Rs 70,000 crore to India's agricultural economy, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday, asserting that the next phase of India's startup revolution should emerge from farms rather than technology hubs. Addressing the 17th Agriculture Leadership Conclave 2026 in New Delhi, Singh said agri-startups would be the defining force of India's agricultural transformation, enabling farming to become a major source of entrepreneurship, e...

July 8, 2026 4:24 PM

Centre steps up El Niño preparedness as monsoon improves; weekly reviews, contingency plans underway for Kharif season

Even as concerns persist over the possible impact of El Niño on the southwest monsoon, the Centre has intensified its preparedness measures with weekly monitoring, district-level contingency plans, seed reserves and enhanced farmer support initiatives to safeguard the ongoing Kharif season. The government's preparedness was reviewed at the highest level during a meeting chaired by Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr. P.K. Mishra on July 7, where senior officials from more than 15 mini...

July 8, 2026 3:47 PM

India-Australia Cooperation Expands Across Agriculture, Space, Innovation and Energy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-day official visit to Australia from July 8 to 10 is expected to further strengthen cooperation across sectors, including agriculture, science and technology, space, innovation and clean energy. Over the past decade, these areas have become key pillars of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, complementing the growing strategic and economic engagement between the two countries. Agricultural cooperation has steadily expanded since 2012,...

June 24, 2026 10:57 AM

Centre steps up Kharif preparedness amid El Niño threat; 315 vulnerable districts identified

With concerns mounting over the possible impact of El Niño and a delayed southwest monsoon, the Central Government has intensified preparations for the upcoming Kharif season, unveiling a comprehensive contingency strategy aimed at protecting farmers and ensuring food security. Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan chaired a high-level virtual review meeting on Tuesday with state agriculture ministers, district collectors, senior officials, scientists from the In...

June 23, 2026 3:51 PM

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi: How India’s largest direct benefit transfer scheme is reshaping rural prosperity

In a major boost to India's agricultural sector, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 23rd installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme on June 20, transferring more than ₹18,880 crore directly into the bank accounts of 9.44 crore farmers across the country. The event, held at Tarakeswar in Hooghly district of West Bengal, marked another milestone for one of the world's largest Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) programmes. Among the beneficiaries were more than 2.18...

June 19, 2026 12:12 PM

Centre approves large-scale MSP procurement of pulses and oilseeds in four states; Uttar Pradesh gets biggest share

The Centre has approved large-scale procurement of pulses and oilseeds under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) in four states - Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Haryana - to ensure farmers receive remunerative prices for their produce and are protected from distress sales. The approvals were granted by Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during a video conference review meeting on Thursday. According to the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Utta...

June 16, 2026 5:33 PM

Shivraj Singh Chouhan reviews Kharif 2026 preparations, orders weekly El Nino monitoring

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, today chaired a high-level review meeting in New Delhi to assess overall preparations for the Kharif 2026 season and the broader agriculture scenario, with special focus on possible El Nino conditions. Chouhan directed that weekly review meetings be held to closely monitor the evolving situation. He stressed the need to identify districts likely to face low or uneven rainfall in advance and prepa...

June 5, 2026 3:21 PM

How India’s farm sector has evolved over the past decade

India's agricultural sector has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade, driven by higher public investment, record crop production, expanded farmer support programmes, greater access to institutional credit and the growing adoption of technology. The changes have coincided with efforts to improve productivity, strengthen rural incomes, expand irrigation coverage and diversify sources of farm income. How important is agriculture to the economy? Agriculture and allied sector...

June 3, 2026 10:07 AM

No shortage of funds, full support for agriculture and rural development in Assam: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday assured Assam of continued financial and policy support for agriculture and rural development, stating that there would be no shortage of funds for the state under various central schemes. The assurance came during a high-level meeting at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi between Chouhan and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The meeting reviewed the implementation of key central schemes and discussed a range of ...

June 3, 2026 10:07 AM

Centre on alert over possible El Nino impact; farmers’ interests will be protected: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday assured farmers that there is no need to panic over the possibility of El Nino conditions affecting the upcoming southwest monsoon, stating that the Centre has initiated comprehensive preparations to safeguard agricultural production and farmers' livelihoods. Chairing a high-level review meeting at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi, Chouhan assessed the country's preparedness for the 2026 southwest monsoon, including po...