ISTOCK
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday announced that the government will prepare state-wise and crop-wise plans to boost production of oilseeds and pulses, aimed at reducing the country's dependence on imports.
Speaking at the 96th Annual General Meeting of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Chouhan called for strengthening research in these commodities and greater Centre-state cooperation.
"Future research avenues will have to be decided according to the state.
"There is a need for demand-based research. Research should not be done just for paper formalities, it should be done keeping in mind the utility to the farmers," the minister said.
While acknowledging that the country has made significant progress in foodgrain production, touching record levels, Chouhan said challenges remain.
"More research is required in pulses and oilseeds to further increase production, for which a state-wise and crop-wise action plan will be prepared," he added.
The minister revealed that a series of crop-wise meetings has begun, with one meeting on soyabean recently held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Similar meetings will be held on cotton, sugarcane and other crops.
"Each crop will be discussed in detail as per the needs of the state, climate suitability and the requirements of the farmers and work will be done on increasing production with appropriate solutions," he said.
Chouhan also announced that the government will soon bring a strict law to curb the sale of substandard agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilisers and pesticides. He mentioned ordering a probe into the sale of substandard soyabean seeds in Madhya Pradesh after finding that the seeds failed to germinate.
On farm mechanisation, the minister urged scientists to innovate modern farming equipment as per farmers' demand with better use of technology.
Emphasising the need to monitor the reach of scheme benefits to beneficiaries, Chouhan asked states to review schemes and suggest continuation of relevant ones, ending irrelevant schemes and starting new ones.