New Delhi [India], Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who took charge of the ministry earlier this week, stressed the need to ensure timely availability of fertilizers, seeds and pesticides for the upcoming Kharif season in a review Is. meeting held this week
Farmers have either started sowing their crops or are about to in a few days, depending on which part of the country they are from.
After reviewing the preparations for Kharif season 2024 with officials of various departments, Chouhan directed them to ensure timely distribution and quality supply of input materials for crops.
He said any disruption in the supply chain leads to delay in sowing, affecting production and should be avoided at all costs.
The Minister directed the concerned department to continuously monitor and review the situation to avoid any difficulty to the farmers.Chouhan expressed happiness that this year the prediction of south-west monsoon is above normal. Officials from the Department of Fertilizer, Central Water Commission and India Meteorological Department made presentations on the occasion. Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Manoj Ahuja and senior officials of the ministry informed the minister about the preparations for the Kharif season.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), southwest monsoon seasonal rainfall over the entire country is likely to be 106 per cent of the long period average. Thus, this June to September 2024 season is likely to see above normal rainfall across the country.More than 70 percent of the total rainfall in India is received during this southwest monsoon period.
Thus, timely and appropriate occurrence of monsoon rainfall holds prominence for the Indian economy, given that the livelihood of a large section of India's population depends on agriculture. This year, the southwest monsoon entered Kerala on May 31, a day earlier than normal.
These rains are important, especially for rain-dependent Kharif crops. There are three cropping seasons in India – summer, kharif and rabi.Crops which are sown during October and November and harvested from January onwards depending on maturity are called Rabi crops. Crops sown during June–July and dependent on monsoon rains are harvested in October–November, which are Kharif. Crops grown between Rabi and Kharif are summer crops.
Paddy, moong, millet, maize, groundnut, soybean and cotton are some of the major Kharif crops.
Earlier, while reviewing the functioning of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), the Minister called for increasing mechanization of farms to improve agricultural productivity.He also stressed the need to link agricultural education with profession so that people pursuing higher education in agricultural science remain connected to agricultural practices.
Chouhan stressed on intensive discussions to improve the utility of Kisan Vikas Kendras (KVKs) to reach the last farmer of the country.
He said that effective use of technological practices can revolutionize the agriculture sector and called upon scientists to continuously work on improving productivity and developing new breeds.
Chouhan also mentioned that there is a need to simplify natural farming methods so that more and more farmers adopt it for their farming. Secretary, DARE and Director General, ICAR Shri Himanshu Pathak briefed the Minister about the activities and 100 day plan of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).He informed that developing one hundred crop varieties and validating one hundred new technologies is part of ICAR's 100-day plan.
Ministers of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ramnath Thakur and Bhagirath Chaudhary were also present during the meetings.
Farmers have either started sowing their crops or are about to in a few days, depending on which part of the country they are from.
After reviewing the preparations for Kharif season 2024 with officials of various departments, Chouhan directed them to ensure timely distribution and quality supply of input materials for crops.
He said any disruption in the supply chain leads to delay in sowing, affecting production and should be avoided at all costs.
The Minister directed the concerned department to continuously monitor and review the situation to avoid any difficulty to the farmers.Chouhan expressed happiness that this year the prediction of south-west monsoon is above normal. Officials from the Department of Fertilizer, Central Water Commission and India Meteorological Department made presentations on the occasion. Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Manoj Ahuja and senior officials of the ministry informed the minister about the preparations for the Kharif season.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), southwest monsoon seasonal rainfall over the entire country is likely to be 106 per cent of the long period average. Thus, this June to September 2024 season is likely to see above normal rainfall across the country.More than 70 percent of the total rainfall in India is received during this southwest monsoon period.
Thus, timely and appropriate occurrence of monsoon rainfall holds prominence for the Indian economy, given that the livelihood of a large section of India's population depends on agriculture. This year, the southwest monsoon entered Kerala on May 31, a day earlier than normal.
These rains are important, especially for rain-dependent Kharif crops. There are three cropping seasons in India – summer, kharif and rabi.Crops which are sown during October and November and harvested from January onwards depending on maturity are called Rabi crops. Crops sown during June–July and dependent on monsoon rains are harvested in October–November, which are Kharif. Crops grown between Rabi and Kharif are summer crops.
Paddy, moong, millet, maize, groundnut, soybean and cotton are some of the major Kharif crops.
Earlier, while reviewing the functioning of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), the Minister called for increasing mechanization of farms to improve agricultural productivity.He also stressed the need to link agricultural education with profession so that people pursuing higher education in agricultural science remain connected to agricultural practices.
Chouhan stressed on intensive discussions to improve the utility of Kisan Vikas Kendras (KVKs) to reach the last farmer of the country.
He said that effective use of technological practices can revolutionize the agriculture sector and called upon scientists to continuously work on improving productivity and developing new breeds.
Chouhan also mentioned that there is a need to simplify natural farming methods so that more and more farmers adopt it for their farming. Secretary, DARE and Director General, ICAR Shri Himanshu Pathak briefed the Minister about the activities and 100 day plan of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).He informed that developing one hundred crop varieties and validating one hundred new technologies is part of ICAR's 100-day plan.
Ministers of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ramnath Thakur and Bhagirath Chaudhary were also present during the meetings.
