BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, chaired the ‘Eastern Regional Agriculture Conference – 2026’ in Bhubaneswar today, calling for a strong, region-specific roadmap to drive agrarian growth across five eastern states.
Shri Chouhan highly praised Odisha’s farming community and noted that the state government has achieved a major record in paddy procurement this year. Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi graced the event.
The conference was attended by Odisha Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Bihar Agriculture Minister Shri Vijay Kumar Sinha, and Chhattisgarh Agriculture Minister Shri Ram Vichar Netam.
Other dignitaries on the dais included Union Ministers of State for Agriculture Shri Ram Nath Thakur and Shri Bhagirath Choudhary, West Bengal Minister for Food Supplies and Consumer Affairs Shri Asoke Kirtania, Union Agriculture Secretary Shri Atish Chandra, and Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education Dr. Mangilal Jat.
Secretary Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Shri Sachin Ramachandra Jadhav and Team Agriculture made a well coordinated effort to make this Conference a success. Additional Secretary Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare Dr.Pramod Kumar Mehrda actively participated in the deliberations.
Shri Jadhav and Dr.Mehrda have been working in close coordination for this Regional Conference and the Agri Meet scripted success, feel Agriculture analysts.
Emphasizing the core purpose of the convention, Shri Chouhan stated that the fertile land, abundant water resources, and favorable climate of Odisha, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal will serve as a powerful catalyst for the future growth of the region’s farming community. Recognizing the dignity of agricultural workers, he described the farmer as the true provider of food and akin to a second God on Earth.
Considering current global scenarios, the Union Minister called for a major shift toward sustainable agriculture, urging all attending delegates and farmers to ensure that every cultivator adopts natural farming on at least 20 percent (one-fifth) of their agricultural land. He explained that this practice would gradually decrease the reliance on chemical fertilizers and preserve long-term soil fertility. Furthermore, Chouhan warned of strict action against unscrupulous elements involved in the trade of counterfeit fertilizers and pesticides, announcing that a new Pesticide Act will soon be introduced to safeguard farmers.
Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, who also graced the event, echoed Chouhan’s concerns regarding soil health, warning that the excessive use of chemical inputs is turning the land toxic. The Chief Minister shared that organic rice from Odisha is now being used in preparing the Mahaprasad at the Shree Jagannatha Temple, calling it a matter of great pride for the state. He urged agricultural scientists to conduct extensive research to expand organic farming across the eastern region. Additionally, he informed that special efforts are being made at the block level to revive “Forgotten Foods,” which refer to traditional local food grains that are on the verge of extinction.
Highlighting the historic steps taken by the Odisha government to bring farmers into the economic mainstream, Chief Minister Majhi stated that under the ‘Samruddha Krushak Yojana’, paddy is being procured at a rate of 3100 rupees per quintal. This initiative directly benefited approximately 19 lakh farmers during the last Kharif season. Apart from this, more than 51 lakh farmers are receiving 4,000 rupees annually under the ‘CM-KISAN’ scheme. When combined with the Central Government’s PM-KISAN scheme, farmers receive a total financial assistance of 10,000 rupees annually. He also mentioned the ‘Krushi Vidyanidhi Yojana’, which supports the higher education of farmers’ children, and noted that the state government bears the entire premium share of farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
To strengthen agricultural infrastructure and market linkages, the state government has introduced financial assistance schemes to establish cold storages in all 58 sub-divisions of Odisha. Under the ‘Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana’, subsidies of up to 1 crore rupees are being provided to encourage investments in the agricultural sector. Moreover, over 1,800 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) are operating successfully in Odisha, registering a turnover of 126 crore rupees over the last two years.
The Chief Minister also shared that coffee plantations are being developed across one lakh acres of land in six districts, including Koraput and Kalahandi. Recognizing that Koraput coffee has carved a niche for itself in the global market, he advised better branding to further increase its demand.
Acknowledging that agricultural productivity in Eastern India is lower compared to other regions of the country, Shri Majhi stated that there is significant room for improvement. He expressed optimism that the conference would serve as a vital platform for the five eastern states to learn from each other’s best practices and experiences. He added that the conclusions drawn from the Bhubaneswar conference will make the eastern states self-reliant in agriculture and that the emerging roadmap will serve as a historic milestone in fulfilling the Prime Minister’s ‘Purvodaya’ mission.