BHUBANESHWAR, May 19: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said eastern India, enriched with fertile soil, abundant water resources and favourable climate, is poised to become the growth engine of India’s next agricultural revolution.
Addressing the ‘Eastern Regional Agricultural Conference-2026′ in Bhubaneswar, Chouhan called for greater emphasis on natural farming and urged farmers to gradually reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers and pesticides to protect soil fertility and improve crop quality.
“The farmer is our annadata. If there is a second God on this earth, it is the farmer,” the union Minister said while praising the contribution of cultivators to the nation’s food security.
The conference brought together representatives from Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal to prepare a joint roadmap for agricultural development in eastern India.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, ministers from participating states and senior officials of the union Agriculture Ministry attended the event.
Chouhan appealed to farmers to dedicate at least 20 per cent of their agricultural land to natural farming practices. He also warned of strict action against those involved in fake fertiliser and pesticide trade and announced that the Centre would bring a new Pesticide Act to strengthen protection for farmers.
Praising Odisha’s agricultural progress, Chouhan said the state has created a major record in paddy procurement this year and lauded the initiatives taken for farmers’ welfare.
Chief Minister Majhi stressed the need to adopt eco-friendly farming practices and said excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides was adversely affecting soil health. Highlighting Odisha’s push towards organic cultivation, the Chief Minister said organic rice produced in the state is now being used in the preparation of Mahaprasad at the Jagannath Temple.
Majhi said the conference would help formulate a comprehensive agricultural roadmap for five eastern states in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Purvodaya’ vision for eastern India’s development.
The Chief Minister said around 19 lakh farmers have benefited from paddy procurement at Rs 3,100 per quintal under the ‘Samruddha Krushak Yojana’, while more than 51 lakh farmers are receiving annual financial assistance under the ‘CM Kisan Yojana’.
He further said the state government has launched efforts to revive traditional indigenous food crops under the ‘Forgotten Foods’ initiative and is strengthening agricultural infrastructure through cold storage projects and subsidies for agri-based industries.
Majhi also highlighted Odisha’s expanding coffee cultivation in districts like Koraput and Kalahandi, stating that Koraput coffee has earned a distinct identity in international markets.
(UNI)
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