Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan today said the country is fully prepared for the Kharif 2026 season. Speaking to the media during the National Kharif Agriculture Conference in Delhi, he said detailed discussions had been held with agriculture ministers of various states, senior officials, scientists, agricultural universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), progressive farmers and the entire agriculture machinery of both the Centre and the states. He said clear directions had been finalised on important issues such as seeds, fertilisers, crop insurance, agricultural credit, natural farming and the preparation of state-wise agricultural roadmaps.

Addressing a press conference organised during the National Kharif Agriculture Conference at Subramaniam Hall in Pusa, New Delhi, Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Centre and state governments were jointly working to ensure that the Kharif season becomes a season of preparedness, coordination and farmer-centric policymaking rather than one marked by challenges. He said the first and most important condition for the success of any crop is the availability of quality seeds and asserted that the availability of seeds for Kharif 2026 was fully satisfactory. He informed that approximately 173 lakh quintals of seeds are required for the Kharif season across the country, while 192 lakh quintals of seeds are available. In other words, around 11% more seeds than the requirement have been arranged. He said seed allocation according to the needs of different states has already been completed and special emphasis has been laid on ensuring that states lift the seeds in time so that they reach farmers before Kharif sowing begins.

He said that keeping in mind the uncertainties associated with weather conditions, the Centre has also prepared a national seed reserve of 1.74 lakh quintals. Advance preparations have been made to ensure that farmers do not face any difficulty in getting seeds if there is delayed rainfall, prolonged dry spells or a need for resowing in any region.

Shri Chouhan said the Farmer ID campaign has been accelerated to provide benefits of government schemes to farmers in a simpler, smoother and more targeted manner. He said more than 9 crore 76 lakh Farmer IDs have already been created. According to him, this will reduce the need for farmers to repeatedly submit different documents and will ensure greater transparency in the distribution of fertilisers, assistance and other facilities while ensuring that benefits reach the correct beneficiaries.

On the issue of agricultural credit, Union Minister Shivraj Singh said the average size of farm loans in the country is around Rs 1.32 lakh, though there are major variations across states and regions. He pointed out that the average is considerably lower in eastern India. He said meetings would be held with banks in states where agricultural credit flow remains low so that adequate loans can be made available to farmers in time and they are able to make timely investments in agriculture.

He also underlined that a large number of farmers in the country do not own agricultural land but cultivate on leased or rented land. The Union Agriculture Minister said serious discussions had been held with states regarding ensuring that such tenant farmers also receive the benefits of various government schemes. Some successful models adopted by states would be studied and efforts would be made to develop a suitable national-level framework on the issue.

Speaking on the crop insurance scheme, Shri Chouhan said the scheme has a wide scope but certain gaps still need to be addressed. He said a team would be constituted to make crop-cutting experiments and remote sensing-based assessments more accurate, transparent and reliable. He added that delays by states in premium payments and delays by insurance companies in settlement of claims have been taken seriously. He clarified that after completion of all necessary formalities, a provision for payment of 12% interest would apply if there is any delay in compensation so that farmers receive benefits on time.

Shri Chouhan also urged states to ensure that funds released by the Centre under various agricultural schemes are utilised within the stipulated period so that benefits reach farmers without delay. Describing substandard and fake pesticides as a major concern, he said states would have to increase sampling, strengthen laboratories and focus on expanding NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories)-certified laboratories. He added that consensus had also been reached on launching a large-scale campaign against fake agricultural inputs.

Referring to delays in procurement under the PM-AASHA scheme, Shri Chouhan said it had emerged as a major issue and consensus has now been reached on completing procurement within fixed timelines. Along with this, he stressed the need to further strengthen Krishi Vigyan Kendras, accelerate the Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) movement and undertake region-specific work on suitable crop varieties for different crops.

He said faster work is required for developing short-duration and improved varieties of crops such as tur and for selecting suitable varieties according to different agro-climatic conditions. In this context, he announced that separate agricultural roadmaps would be prepared for every state. These roadmaps would include factors such as soil conditions, climate, nutrient availability, suitable crops, seed varieties and fertiliser use so that agricultural planning becomes more scientific, practical and region-specific.

Natural farming and balanced use of fertilisers were also discussed extensively during the conference. Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh said 20 lakh farmers have registered for natural farming covering nearly 8 lakh hectares of land. He added that many farmers are already following natural farming methods through traditional practices. He described integrated farming as particularly important for small and marginal farmers and said it could become a practical and sustainable way of increasing farm incomes.

Shri Chouhan said the Centre and state governments would jointly run the ‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan’ from June 1 to June 30 in order to directly reach farmers at the village level. Under the campaign, officials and agricultural teams would visit villages to spread awareness about balanced use of fertilisers, recommendations under Soil Health Cards, natural farming practices, improved crop management and other government schemes. He added that wherever possible, efforts would also be made to practically facilitate the availability of Kisan Credit Cards, farm mechanisation equipment, Soil Health Cards and other agricultural facilities.

Speaking about the biggest changes witnessed in the agriculture sector during Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s 12 years in office, Shri Chouhan said the country has recorded unprecedented agricultural production during this period. He said India has moved ahead with new thinking, new technologies, improved coordination and a farmer-centric approach in the agriculture sector.

Overall, the National Kharif Agriculture Conference conveyed the message that the Centre and the states are now looking at agriculture not merely as a seasonal activity but as a national mission based on scientific planning, time-bound implementation and farmer empowerment. From seeds to insurance, credit to quality control, natural farming to state-specific agricultural roadmaps, the government expressed confidence that extensive preparations have been made for Kharif 2026.

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