Madhya Pradesh is moving rapidly towards becoming a hub of agricultural growth and food processing. The irrigated area in the state has now expanded to nearly 5.5 million hectares, while work has begun to distribute 3.2 million solar pumps to reduce the burden of electricity bills on farmers. Along with increasing agricultural output, the state government has placed a strong focus on industrialization, irrigation expansion, and food processing industries.
The government has urged Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) not to remain confined to crop procurement alone but to step into processing grains and other produce for the market. This move is expected to enhance farmers’ income and profitability. The government has set an ambitious goal of increasing food processing from 5% to 95%. A major potato chips manufacturing industry is being set up in the Malwa region. Additionally, FPOs are encouraged to contribute in areas like warehousing and logistics.
To support industries, the government will provide land, water, and electricity, along with an employment-linked wage subsidy for 10 years—₹6,000 per month for women employees and ₹5,000 per month for men employees.
Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav highlighted that organic cotton from Madhya Pradesh is in high demand worldwide. Interestingly, countries like China and Vietnam are even selling their cotton under the Madhya Pradesh label. However, he also expressed concern that the rising use of chemical pesticides is affecting traditional farming. To counter this, the government is promoting organic farming as a sustainable solution.
In collaboration with organizations like the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and Malwam Federation, the state is working to make farmers self-reliant. The government has increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of wheat to ₹2,600 per quintal and removed tax on pigeon pea (tur dal). Nutri-cereals like kodo-kutki will now also be procured at MSP.
The state has set a target to increase milk production from 9% to 20%, with subsidies being provided for dairy animals under the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Kamdhenu Yojana. Milk processing and dairy-based products are also being promoted in a big way.
Assured Supply of Urea and DAP Fertilizers: Agriculture Minister Mr. Edal Singh Kansana assured farmers that Madhya Pradesh, being an agriculture-dominant state, has adequate fertilizer supplies. At present, 1.4 million metric tonnes of urea and 1.2 million metric tonnes of DAP are available. Already, 1 million metric tonnes of urea has been distributed to farmers. He further assured that the government will provide proper compensation for crop losses caused by floods and heavy rains.
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