Clean energy for agriculture: Why solar is the smartest investment for farmers today
Agriculture is the backbone of India’s rural economy, employing nearly half of the country’s workforce and supporting food security for over 1.4 billion people. Yet farmers continue to face rising input costs, erratic electricity supply, and increasing climate risks. In this context, solar energy, particularly solar-powered irrigation, has emerged as one of the most practical […]
Technology adoption and improved seed varieties boost India’s wheat & rice production
India’s wheat and rice production has increased over the last five years due to the adoption of various production and protection technologies to address the challenges of various biotic and abiotic stresses. These include development of high-yielding climate-resilient varieties, cost-effective and efficient pre and post-harvest technologies, according to Bhagirath Choudhary, Union Minister of State for […]
Half of Maharashtra sugar mills may stay shut next season amid cane shortage, financial stress: Minister
More than half of Maharashtra’s sugar mills may remain closed in the next crushing season due to a possible shortage of sugarcane and rising financial stress in the industry, State Cooperation Minister Babasaheb Patil told the Legislative Council on Tuesday. The minister said drought-like conditions expected in the coming kharif season could significantly reduce cane availability, threatening the […]
Next instalment of Kisan Nidhi to reach farmers on March 13
Ahead of Assembly elections in five States, the Union Government has decided to deposit over ₹18,640 crore into the accounts of 9.32 crore farmers across the country as the 22nd instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Nidhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the instalment on Friday (March 13, 2026) from Guwahati, in election-bound Assam. Union […]
Australia-India partnership moves closer to green steel with ‘world-first’ agricultural waste trial
An Australia-India partnership took a step closer to green steel through a “world-first” use of agricultural waste in steelmaking during a successful commercial-scale trial in India. Researchers from Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) demonstrated a viable approach to cut emissions by partially replacing coal with locally sourced rice […]
Global fertiliser prices may strain India’s subsidy maths for next year
India’s fertiliser subsidy calculations for the coming financial year (FY27) could come under pressure if global prices continue their upward march, as seen over the past few days. However, the country currently has adequate stocks to meet immediate demand, traders and market participants said. In the FY27 Union Budget, the government pegged the fertiliser subsidy […]
Centre approves credit target of ₹2 lakh core for AIF; to be completed by mid-April
The government has fast tracked the procedures for the approval of doubling the credit target of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) which is expected to be complete by mid-April with the cabinet approval. However, there could be some reforms in the guidelines, too to help achieve the target faster, sources said. After the launch of AIF […]
Can India balance ethanol ambitions with livestock sustainability?
India’s pursuit of energy self-reliance has begun reshaping the agricultural economy in measurable ways. The accelerated rollout of the E20 blending programme has driven a sharp expansion in grain-based ethanol, with maize contributing 42.74 per cent of total ethanol production in the 2023–24 supply year. This shift has strengthened energy security and reduced dependence on […]
Iran war threatens Asia fertiliser supplies ahead of planting season
Escalating war in the West Asia has shut down fertiliser plants in the region and severely disrupted shipping routes, potentially curbing supplies to key Asian importers just as farmers gear up for their major cereal planting season. The world’s most populous countries, India and China, as well as key farm product exporters Australia and Indonesia […]
West Asia conflict halts Maharashtra grape exports, 16,000 tonnes at risk
The escalation of conflict in West Asia has halted Maharashtra’s grape exports to Gulf countries, leaving thousands of tonnes of consignments stranded at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) in Navi Mumbai and raising concerns about a supply glut in the domestic market. According to traders and industry representatives, about 300 containers of grapes—roughly 3,900 […]