Uttar Pradesh has set a target of 510 lakh metric tonnes of rabi foodgrains this year, 30 lakh tonnes more than last year's 480 lakh tonnes, Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi said at the State-Level Rabi Productivity Seminar 2026 in Lucknow.
Shahi said 50 lakh free mini-kits are being distributed to promote self-reliance in pulses and oilseeds, with subsidies of Rs 600 crore on seeds and about Rs 350 crore on farm machinery. Agriculture Director Tryambak Mani Tripathi said that, for the first time in the state, farmers will get a 75 percent subsidy on chickpea and pea seed. He said 4.68 lakh free mustard mini-kits are available and stocks of 15.50 lakh tonnes of urea and 6.25 lakh tonnes of DAP have been secured for the season.
On credit, Minister of State for Cooperation J.P.S. Rathore said 50 district cooperative banks on the verge of closure have been revived, adding 54 lakh new farmers, who get Kisan Credit Card loans of up to Rs 3 lakh at 3 percent interest; women farmers can borrow up to Rs 2 lakh for animal husbandry. The state cooperative village development bank lends up to Rs 6 lakh at 6 percent for tractors, machinery and small agro-industries, and the interest-free cash credit limit of primary societies has been raised from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh. GPS is being installed in trucks to keep fertiliser transport transparent.
Principal Secretary Agriculture Dr M.K.S. Sundaram told officials to choose crops by the state's nine agro-climatic zones, ensure balanced fertiliser use and speed up insurance surveys. In the technical sessions, Dr R.K. Malik of the International Rice Research Institute in Varanasi spoke on crop residue management and zero tillage, and Dr Mehak Singh of Chandrashekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology in Kanpur on improved mustard and linseed varieties.
Horticulture officials said the state is first in India for honey production, at 31,000 tonnes. Livestock officials described Rs 72,000 a year in direct support under the Mukhyamantri Sahbhagita Yojana for farmers who adopt four cattle from shelters, and mobile veterinary units under the Pashupalan Aapke Dwar scheme.
Progressive farmers received improved seed mini-kits, machinery sanction letters and pheromone traps to promote chemical-free pest control, as departments discussed targets, technology and climate-resilient farming for the coming rabi season.
Photo: Nitin Das / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Source: Rural Voice
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