Crop loss from floods, wild animals now covered under PM Fasal Bima Yojana: Chouhan

Nagpur, Nov 21 (PTI) Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday announced that compensation for crop loss due to waterlogging and wild animal damage will now be covered under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).

Addressing a gathering at the Agrovision event in Nagpur, Chouhan said the government has successfully increased food grain production in 2024–25 by 6 per cent compared to 2023–24. He said overall production has risen by 44 per cent in the last 10–11 years.

"In this era of climate change, one cannot predict when it will rain or when droughts may occur. This year, the rains lasted for about five to six months, and floods in September destroyed many farmers’ crops.

"I want to give good news to farmers. PMFBY, which provides risk coverage and compensation for crop losses, will now include losses caused by flooding and wild animals", he said.

Chouhan said farmers in Maharashtra had long complained about the absence of such provisions, and these losses will now be compensated under the scheme.

He emphasised that India is entering a new phase in agriculture — moving from idea to innovation, mechanisation to diversification, integration to irrigation, and satellite to drones.

"The government is advancing in areas such as automation in irrigation, modernisation of mandis, and diversification of farms under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi", the agriculture minister said.

Highlighting the importance of quality seeds and plants for orange production, Chouhan announced that the Agriculture Ministry will establish a Clean Plant Center for Oranges in Nagpur with a budget of Rs 70 crore.

"This centre will provide high-quality plants to orange growers. Identified nurseries will receive financial and technological assistance — Rs 4 crore for large nurseries and Rs 2 crore for medium and small nurseries — to develop clean plants", he added.

Chouhan also stated that the government has successfully developed two grain types using genome editing methods.

He reiterated that doubling farmers’ income is a priority for the government and the Prime Minister, which requires increasing production and profitability.

He tasked ICAR scientists with conducting farmer demand-driven research, connecting labs to land, and providing quality seeds. Research in these areas is already underway.

Chouhan further elaborated that production of crops, fruits, and vegetables must increase while reducing production costs to maximise farmers' net profits. He encouraged the adoption of technologies such as mechanisation and drip irrigation to lower costs.

He urged private sector companies to produce affordable mechanised equipment for farmers and highlighted various subsidies available.

"The government succeeded in increasing the food grain production in 2024-25 by 6 per cent compared to the 2023-24 production. The production of food grains increased by 44 per cent in the last 10-11 years", Chouhan said.

Chouhan also announced that the government has decided to purchase the entire tur, masoor, chana, and urad produce from farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) to ensure fair returns.

He emphasised diversification and value addition through local-level crop processing, which would guarantee better prices for farmers.

Chouhan praised Agrovision Expo, calling it a wonderful platform that has provided new technology, training, and trade opportunities for farmers. He said farmer-focused organisations like Agrovision can deliver even better results.

He stated that the government has decided to purchase the entire tur, masoor, chana, and urad produce from farmers at the Minimum Support Price so that the agriculturists get a proper price.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, the chief patron of the 16th Agrovision, noted that the initiative has achieved significant success in improving and transforming farming patterns in the Vidarbha region.

Gadkari said Agrovision was launched to help farmers and find solutions to prevent farmer suicides in Vidarbha. He highlighted various initiatives undertaken to improve agricultural practices, crop diversification, and the adoption of new agro-technologies.

He assured that Agrovision will continue working with farmer-centric initiatives and education until farmer suicides in Vidarbha come to an end. PTI CLS NSK