Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said that eastern India, enriched with fertile soil, abundant water resources, and a favourable climate, is poised to become the growth engine of India’s next agricultural revolution.
Addressing the ‘Eastern Regional Agricultural Conference-2026’ in Bhubaneswar, Chouhan emphasised the need to promote natural farming and urged farmers to gradually reduce their dependence on chemical fertilisers and pesticides in order to protect soil fertility and improve crop quality.
“The farmer is our annadata. If there is a second God on this earth, it is the farmer,” the Union Minister said while praising the contribution of cultivators to the nation’s food security.
The conference brought together representatives from Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal to prepare a joint roadmap for agricultural development in eastern India.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, ministers from participating states, and senior officials from the Union Agriculture Ministry attended the event.
Chouhan appealed to farmers to dedicate at least 20 per cent of their agricultural land to natural farming practices. He also warned of strict action against those involved in the trade of fake fertilisers and pesticides and announced that the Centre would introduce a new Pesticide Act to strengthen protection for farmers.
Praising Odisha’s agricultural progress, Chouhan said the state had created a major record in paddy procurement this year and lauded the initiatives taken for farmers’ welfare.
Chief Minister Majhi stressed the need to adopt eco-friendly farming practices and said the excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides was adversely affecting soil health.
Highlighting Odisha’s push towards organic cultivation, the Chief Minister said organic rice produced in the state is now being used in the preparation of Mahaprasad at the Jagannath Temple.
Majhi said the conference would help formulate a comprehensive agricultural roadmap for the five eastern states in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Purvodaya’ vision for the development of eastern India.
The Chief Minister said around 19 lakh farmers have benefited from paddy procurement at Rs 3,100 per quintal under the ‘Samruddha Krushak Yojana’, while more than 51 lakh farmers are receiving annual financial assistance under the ‘CM Kisan Yojana’.
He further said the state government has launched efforts to revive traditional indigenous food crops under the ‘Forgotten Foods’ initiative and is strengthening agricultural infrastructure through cold storage projects and subsidies for agri-based industries.
Majhi also highlighted Odisha’s expanding coffee cultivation in districts such as Koraput and Kalahandi, stating that Koraput coffee has earned a distinct identity in international markets.