Shivraj Singh Calls Eastern India the Future Growth Engine of Indian Agriculture

Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said Eastern India has the potential to emerge as the growth engine of India’s agricultural transformation, provided the region receives the right policy support, technological interventions and market-oriented reforms.

The Minister made the remarks while inaugurating the Eastern Regional Agriculture Conference at the Mayfair Convention Centre in Bhubaneswar along with Odisha Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi. The conference brought together representatives from Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal to discuss strategies for strengthening agriculture and improving farmers’ livelihoods across Eastern India.

Conference Focused on Agricultural Transformation in Eastern India

The conference deliberated on a wide range of agricultural issues affecting the eastern region, including:

• Increasing pulses and oilseeds production;

• Integrated farming systems;

• Natural farming practices;

• Farmer registry and digital governance;

• Horticulture development;

• Agricultural credit access;

• Marketing reforms;

• Prevention of fake agricultural inputs, and

• Strategies to enhance farmers’ income.

Addressing the inaugural session, Shri Chouhan said the conference was not merely a ceremonial gathering but a serious platform aimed at shaping a new agricultural strategy for Eastern India.

He stated that “Team Agriculture” had assembled with a shared commitment to improve farming conditions and raise farmers’ incomes across the region.

Eastern India Has Huge Agricultural Potential

The Union Minister highlighted the natural advantages of Eastern India, including:

• Fertile agricultural land;

• Abundant water resources;

• Diverse climatic conditions, and

• Hard-working farming communities.

According to him, these strengths position the region to become a major contributor to India’s future agricultural growth.

Shri Chouhan described farmers not only as “Annadatas” (food providers) but also as “Jeevandatas” (providers of life), saying service to farmers is equivalent to service to God.

He added that agriculture remains central to India’s journey towards becoming a developed, self-reliant and prosperous nation under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Three Key Priorities for Agriculture Sector

The Agriculture Minister outlined three major priorities for India’s agricultural sector:

• Ensuring food security for 1.4 billion citizens;

• Providing nutritious food to the population, and

• Securing better livelihoods and higher incomes for farmers.

He stressed that increasing production alone is insufficient unless accompanied by:

• Reduced cultivation costs;

• Better market prices;

• Compensation for losses, and

• Diversification into high-value crops.

Shri Chouhan said agriculture must move beyond excessive dependence on paddy and wheat cultivation, particularly in Eastern India where the potential for pulses, oilseeds, fruits and vegetables remains significant.

Push for Integrated Farming for Small Farmers

Referring to the reality of small landholdings in eastern states, the Minister strongly advocated integrated farming systems.

He said integrated farming should not remain a slogan but become a practical, field-level model capable of improving farmer incomes.

According to him, combining:

• Crop cultivation;

• Horticulture;

• Fisheries;

• Animal husbandry;

• Beekeeping, and

• Agro-forestry

can substantially improve earnings for small and marginal farmers.

He urged the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), state governments and agricultural institutions to actively demonstrate successful integrated farming models to farmers.

Nationwide ‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan’ to Launch From June 1

The Union Minister announced that a nationwide “Khet Bachao Abhiyan” (Save Farms Campaign) would be launched from 1 June.

The campaign will focus on:

• Balanced fertilizer usage;

• Soil health management;

• Adoption of modern agricultural technologies;

• Awareness about government schemes, and

• Farmer education initiatives.

Shri Chouhan warned against indiscriminate use of fertilizers without soil testing, saying it increases cultivation costs and damages long-term soil fertility.

He also urged states to ensure that subsidised fertilizers are used strictly for agricultural purposes and not diverted elsewhere.

Strong Action Against Fake Seeds and Fertilisers

Calling counterfeit agricultural inputs a serious threat to farmers, Shri Chouhan announced plans for a major campaign against fake fertilizers, substandard seeds and counterfeit pesticides.

He described such practices as “serious crimes against farmers” and called for stricter laws and stronger enforcement mechanisms.

The Minister stressed that farmers must receive quality agricultural inputs without unnecessary increases in production costs.

Focus on Pulses and Oilseed Self-Reliance

Shri Chouhan said Eastern India possesses enormous potential to help India become self-reliant in pulses and edible oil production.

However, he noted that farmers would only expand cultivation if assured of procurement support and stable market access.

He therefore called for strengthening:

• PM-AASHA;

• NAFED;

• NCCF, and

• State procurement systems.

Farmer ID to Improve Access to Benefits

The Minister also highlighted the importance of the Farmer ID system, describing it as an important digital governance mechanism.

According to him, Farmer ID will help consolidate farmers’ land, family and identification details onto a single platform, thereby simplifying access to:

• Agricultural loans;

• Fertilizers;

• Subsidies, and

• Government welfare schemes.

He said the system would reduce delays and improve transparency in service delivery.

Horticulture and Exports Seen as Growth Drivers

Shri Chouhan also stressed the importance of horticulture and market-oriented agriculture.

He highlighted the export potential of:

• Fruits;

• Vegetables;

• Mangoes, and

• Specialty crops produced in Eastern India.

According to him, clean planting material, better nursery systems and improved market linkages can help farmers secure better prices both domestically and internationally.

Odisha Chief Minister Calls for Shared Agricultural Roadmap

Odisha Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi said the conference offered eastern states an important platform to develop a shared agricultural roadmap for the future.

He thanked the Union Agriculture Ministry for organising the event and said it aligns with the broader vision of “Purvodaya” by accelerating agricultural productivity, climate-resilient farming and inclusive growth.

The Chief Minister said Odisha remains deeply dependent on agriculture for livelihoods and economic development and is implementing several farmer-centric initiatives.

Odisha Focusing on Diversification and Farmer Welfare

Shri Majhi highlighted Odisha’s ongoing efforts in:

• Pulses production;

• Edible oil self-reliance;

• Crop diversification;

• Farm mechanisation;

• Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) strengthening;

• Cold storage expansion, and

• Agri-industry promotion.

He also referred to initiatives such as:

• Paddy procurement support;

• CM-Kisan assistance;

• PM-Kisan benefits, and

• Crop insurance schemes.

The Chief Minister emphasised the need for better infrastructure, organised marketing systems and entrepreneurship-driven agricultural models.

Millets and Organic Farming Highlighted

Describing millets as “super foods,” Shri Majhi said they are especially beneficial for tribal and water-scarce regions because they require less water and fewer fertilizers.

He also stressed the importance of:

• Organic farming;

• Conservation of traditional crop varieties;

• Biodiversity protection, and

• Greater involvement of agricultural scientists.

According to him, exchange of best practices and innovations among eastern states would become one of the major outcomes of the conference and contribute significantly towards agricultural self-reliance and farmer prosperity.