Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday, 19 May declared that eastern India holds the potential to become the primary driver of India's agricultural growth, citing the region's fertile land, abundant water resources, diverse climatic conditions, and industrious farming communities. He made the remarks while inaugurating the Eastern Regional Agriculture Conference in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

Conference and Key Participants

The conference was jointly inaugurated by Chouhan and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. Agriculture ministers and senior officials from Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal attended the deliberations, which spanned a broad agenda — from boosting pulses and oilseeds output to promoting integrated and natural farming models for small and marginal cultivators.

Three Priorities and the 'Jeevandatas' Vision

Addressing the inaugural session, Chouhan outlined three core priorities for Indian agriculture: ensuring food security for 1.4 billion people, guaranteeing nutritious food access, and meaningfully raising farmers' incomes. He described farmers not merely as 'Annadatas' (providers of food) but as 'Jeevandatas' (providers of life), asserting that serving farmers was equivalent to serving God.

The minister stressed that increasing production, cutting cultivation costs, securing remunerative prices, compensating crop losses, and diversifying agriculture were the sector's foremost imperatives. He urged the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), state agriculture ministers, and field officials to demonstrate integrated farming models — combining crop cultivation with horticulture, fisheries, animal husbandry, beekeeping, and agro-forestry — in a practical and inspiring manner to small farmers.

'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' to Launch June 1

Chouhan announced that a nationwide campaign titled 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' would be launched from 1 June, aimed at promoting balanced fertiliser use, improving soil health, accelerating adoption of modern agricultural technology, raising awareness of government schemes, and strengthening farmer education.

He cautioned that indiscriminate fertiliser use without soil testing raises input costs and degrades soil fertility, urging states to encourage scientifically calibrated fertiliser application. He also appealed to farmers to adopt natural farming practices on at least a portion of their land.

Crackdown on Fake Inputs and Subsidy Diversion

The minister described fake fertilisers, substandard seeds, and counterfeit pesticides as serious crimes against farmers, announcing a large-scale campaign against such malpractices. He called for stricter laws and stronger state-level enforcement to ensure farmers receive quality agricultural inputs without unnecessary cost escalation.

Chouhan also emphasised preventing the diversion of subsidised fertilisers, insisting that subsidised inputs must be used strictly for farming purposes.

Export Potential and High-Value Crops

The Union Minister highlighted the export opportunity embedded in eastern India's agricultural diversity. Fruits, vegetables, and speciality crops from the region — including high-value produce such as mangoes — have the potential to command better prices in both domestic and international markets, he said. He stressed the importance of clean planting material, robust nursery systems, and market-oriented agricultural planning to unlock this potential.

Chouhan called on ICAR, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and other scientific institutions to take research and technology directly to farmers, ensuring that policy intent translates into ground-level impact across the five eastern states.