Adequate supply of seeds, fertilisers for the Rabi season: Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Chouhan said that the country’s total food grain production reached 353.96 million tonnes in 2024–25, an increase of 21.66 million tonnes (6.5%) over the previous year.

New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday said that the total food grain production target has been set at 171.14 million tonnes for the 2025-26 Rabi season.

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told media on the sidelines of the two-day national Rabi conference, said there is an adequate supply of seeds and fertilisers for the Rabi season.

The government is undertaking crop-wise reviews and will take concrete steps to increase Rabi crops output, he pointed out.

The minister said there is adequate seed available for the upcoming Rabi season. Against the requirement of 22.9 million tonnes of seed, nearly 25 million tonnes are already available.

Chouhan said that the country’s total food grain production reached 353.96 million tonnes in 2024–25, an increase of 21.66 million tonnes (6.5 per cent) over the previous year.

The Central government has set a production target of 362.50 million tonnes for 2025–26, up from 341.55 million tonnes last year, he said.

Speaking about wheat and rice, the minister said the country's production has achieved global levels, but there is a need to focus more on pulses and oilseeds.

In the upcoming rabi season, over 2,000 teams of agriculture scientists will visit farmers to provide timely knowledge and guidance through a Rabi campaign called 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan', set to begin from October 3, he said.

The government has set a record wheat production target of 119 million tonnes for the 2025-26 crop year, marking a 3.47 per cent increase from the previous year.

Wheat is the main Rabi (winter) crop, with sowing beginning from late October and continuing through November. Other Rabi crops include jowar, barley, gram and lentil.

The government has set a target to produce 16.57 million tonnes of pulses and 15.07 million tonnes of oilseeds during the 2025-26 rabi season.

In flood-hit states, he said, the government is taking all steps to support the affected states.

"Efforts are being made to ensure timely and adequate disbursal of insurance benefits to farmers covered under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana," the minister said.