The Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development held a review meeting with senior agriculture ministry officials to assess the progress of rabi sowing, monitor weather conditions, and discuss strategies for marketing agricultural produce. A press release on this meeting was issued on January 20, 2025.
Key Discussion Points
Rabi Sowing Progress: The total area sown as of January 17, 2025, is 640 lakh hectares, exceeding the 637.49 lakh hectares sown during the same period last year by 2.51 lakh hectares. Overall crop coverage and condition are reported to be better than the previous year. Sowing of key vegetables like tomato, onion, and potato (TOP) is ongoing and currently ahead of last year’s pace.
Weather and Pest Surveillance: The meeting included discussions on current weather conditions and ongoing pest surveillance efforts through the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS).
Agricultural Marketing: Strategies for marketing agricultural products, including import and export policies, were also reviewed.
Coordination with State Governments: The Minister emphasized the importance of strong coordination with state governments to address issues at the ground level. He announced that he would hold periodic meetings with state agriculture ministers in addition to his weekly internal reviews. He also directed ministry officials to maintain consistent engagement with their state counterparts.
Market Price Trends
Recent market price trends for key commodities were also discussed:
- Price Increases: Week-on-week price increases were observed for wheat (0.46%), mustard (0.14%), and soybean (0.25%).
- Price Decreases: Week-on-week price decreases were observed for arhar (1.22%), rice (1.20%), gram (0.67%), potato (6.34%), and tomato (6.79%).
Positive Price Scenario for Farmers
It was noted that several key crops, including wheat, rice, gram, mustard, and sesame, are currently fetching market prices higher than their respective Minimum Support Prices (MSPs), which is positive news for farmers.
