HYDERABAD, Sep 18: Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday said southern states have significant opportunities to expand overseas sales of high-value agricultural commodities under free trade agreements (FTAs) signed by India with the European Union and other countries.
Addressing the Southern States Regional Agriculture Conference in Hyderabad, Chouhan urged state governments to formulate concrete strategies to promote commercially valuable crops and improve farm incomes. He said several commodities widely cultivated in the southern region could gain from lower import duties in international markets.
He pointed to products including cardamom, black pepper, turmeric, coffee, tea, coconut, cashew, fruits and marine products as commodities with strong global demand.
Referring to the India-EU agreement, Chouhan said several products from the region, including coffee, tea, spices and fruits, would be able to access the European market without import duties under the agreement.
The minister asked states to examine the provisions of FTAs carefully, identify commodities with export potential and develop plans around them. At the same time, he emphasised that agricultural products intended for international markets must meet prescribed quality and safety standards.
The conference also examined the impact of El Nino conditions and inadequate rainfall on agriculture. Chouhan said contingency plans had been prepared for districts facing deficient rainfall, with an emphasis on crops requiring less water and having shorter cultivation cycles.
The Centre has also established a seed bank to ensure the availability of seeds when required, he said, adding that the Union and state governments would work together to address weather related agricultural challenges.
Citing the India Meteorological Department’s forecast, Chouhan expressed hope that the country would receive sufficient rainfall before the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon.
He announced that a national conference on Rabi crops would be held in New Delhi on September 28 and 29, with agriculture ministers from states expected to participate. The meeting will focus on state-wise plans for the area to be brought under various crops during the upcoming Rabi season.
The minister said southern states had also made progress towards the targets set under the Centre’s Natural Farming Mission. Crop diversification, the impact of El Nino and preparations for the Rabi season were among the key issues discussed at the regional conference.
Chouhan said the deliberations were aimed at delivering tangible improvements in the lives of farmers, strengthening food security, creating additional employment opportunities in the agriculture sector and giving fresh momentum to economic growth.
He said the Centre’s approach to agriculture was guided by the principle of “Nation First” and maintained that agricultural issues should be addressed through cooperation between the Union government and states irrespective of which political party governed a particular state.
Focus on Farmer Welfare
In his inaugural address, Chouhan assured states of the Centre’s full cooperation in efforts to improve farmers’ welfare and raise their incomes.
He called for greater efforts to ensure that every eligible farmer has access to a Kisan Credit Card (KCC). According to him, farmers receiving benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi could initially be prioritised for KCCs, allowing them to access institutional credit at affordable interest rates.
“The Government of India will cooperate with the states with full strength. Land is with the state. Farmers are in the state. Nation first. Centre and states should work together,” he said.
Chouhan described the regional conference as an important platform for strengthening coordination between the Centre and state governments on agricultural development.
He also stressed the need for state-specific agricultural roadmaps based on local agro-climatic conditions. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and other agricultural institutions, he said, were prepared to assist states in developing such plans.
The proposed roadmaps would focus on increasing production and productivity, reducing cultivation costs, securing remunerative returns for farmers, expanding crop insurance coverage, encouraging diversification and improving soil health.
The minister urged states to assess their seed requirements in advance to ensure timely supplies to farmers. He also called for stronger measures to protect cultivators from substandard seeds and pesticides.
Chouhan said new legislation covering seeds and pesticides was required, while asking states to ensure effective implementation of existing laws until new legislation is introduced.
On procurement, he said the Centre had assured procurement of arhar, masoor and urad, while other agricultural commodities were being covered under the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA).
He also announced that a new scheme would be introduced to encourage coconut cultivation and asked states to implement the actionable points identified during the conference.
Progress in Digital Agriculture
Chouhan said Telangana and Karnataka had achieved around 75 per cent progress in generating Farmer IDs, while Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana had made notable progress in georeferencing.
He said Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands needed to accelerate Farmer ID generation, noting that several agricultural systems would increasingly depend on such digital identification in the coming years.
The minister also discussed the Bharat Vistar initiative, which is designed to provide agricultural advice to farmers through mobile phones. The service is currently available in Hindi and English and is planned to be expanded to 13 regional languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.
The conference brought together the Centre and southern states to discuss measures aimed at improving agricultural productivity, strengthening farm incomes, preparing for climate-related challenges and expanding opportunities for the agriculture sector in domestic and international markets.