Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced on Monday that the government will develop state-specific and crop-specific action plans to enhance oilseeds and pulses production, aiming to reduce India’s reliance on imports. Speaking at the 96th Annual General Meeting of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in New Delhi, Chouhan emphasized demand-driven research and stronger Centre-state collaboration to address agricultural challenges.

While India has achieved record foodgrain production, Chouhan highlighted the need for intensified research in pulses and oilseeds, critical areas where import dependency persists. “We will prepare tailored plans for each state and crop, ensuring research translates into practical benefits for farmers,” he said, criticizing research conducted merely for academic purposes.

Recent crop-specific meetings, including one on soybean in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, mark the start of this initiative, with upcoming discussions on cotton, sugarcane, and other crops to address state-specific needs and climatic conditions.

Chouhan also revealed plans for a stringent law to curb the sale of substandard agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides, citing a probe into non-germinating soybean seeds in Madhya Pradesh. He urged scientists to innovate modern farming equipment tailored to farmers’ needs and called on states to review agricultural schemes, retaining relevant ones and proposing new ones to ensure benefits reach intended beneficiaries.

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The meeting saw participation from state ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, and Maharashtra, alongside Union Ministers Bhagirath Chaudhary, Jitendra Singh, S.P. Baghel, and George Kurien. ICAR’s 2024-25 Annual Report was adopted, and four agriculture and technology books were released. Union Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi and other officials also attended, reinforcing a unified commitment to farmers’ prosperity and agricultural advancement.

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