New Delhi: Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, engaged in a dialogue with farmers, farmer organizations, and their representatives from various states in New Delhi today. The discussions centered around a range of pressing agricultural issues, with farmers providing insights and suggestions, a PIB press release stated.
Chouhan highlighted the government’s commitment to farmers’ welfare, citing the recent cabinet decision to increase the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Rabi crops. He outlined the efforts undertaken under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership to support the agricultural sector.
Farmers’ organizations presented several key issues, including the need for model agricultural farming practices tailored to small landholdings and practical guidance on profitable farming for those with one to two and a half acres of land. Examples of successful farmers utilizing small acreages were shared.
Additional topics raised by farmers included water management, fertilizer usage, soil health, coping with natural disasters, the closure of sugar mills, and the menace of stray animals. Suggestions for promoting millets and Shri Anna were also put forth.
The Union Minister assured farmers that their suggestions would be carefully considered and addressed. He committed to forwarding state-level issues to the respective governments and taking action on those under the central government’s purview. Chouhan emphasized the value of direct dialogue with farmers, stating that it provides crucial insights into their challenges and facilitates the effective delivery of government schemes. Chouhan also commended Haryana Chief Minister, Shri Nayab Singh Saini, for his recent decision to procure all 23 crops at the declared MSP, lauding it as a farmer-friendly move.