Business

Agri Minister pushes for Makhana Board formation

New Delhi

CityHilights

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has directed officials to expedite the formation of a Makhana Board in Bihar and ensure better prices for farmers' rabi produce.

During a virtual review meeting from Bhopal, Chouhan assessed the progress of Kharif crops, weather forecasts, and prevailing price trends. He instructed officials to gather farmers’ suggestions for the Makhana Board, which was announced in the Union Budget 2025-26 with an initial investment of ₹100 crore.

As of February 21, the total cropped area under Kharif crops reached 22.31 lakh hectares, up from 21.84 lakh hectares in the previous year. Officials reported ongoing sowing of onion, potato, and tomato crops, driven by favorable market prices. Onion cultivation expanded to 10.29 lakh hectares, an increase of 1.66 lakh hectares, while potato covered 19.82 lakh hectares, slightly higher than last year.

The meeting also reviewed weather conditions, with forecasts predicting widespread rainfall and snowfall in the western Himalayan region due to an active western disturbance. Rainfall is expected to be below normal across most of the country, except for Northwest and South Peninsular India, where above-normal activity is anticipated.

Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi and senior ministry officials attended the meeting. The government remains focused on improving agricultural policies and ensuring stable pricing for farmers' produce.

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