Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday, July 7, 2025, chaired the 96th Annual General Meeting of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) at the Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Auditorium in New Delhi, urging stronger Centre-State collaboration, tighter regulations on agri-inputs, and a research agenda driven by farmers’ needs.
In his address, Chouhan praised the progress made in agriculture under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, noting India’s transformation from an importer of poor-quality wheat to a global exporter of food grains. “We now produce enough to feed our people and the world,” he said, while congratulating scientists for their role in this growth.
However, the minister warned that despite impressive achievements, serious challenges remain. Sharing insights from a recent visit to soybean fields in Madhya Pradesh, he raised concerns about poor seed germination due to low-quality seeds. He called for urgent investigation, stricter regulation of agri-inputs, and a review of fertilizer pricing policy.
To ensure transparency and improve access, Chouhan proposed the creation of Crop Medicine Centres, similar to Jan Aushadhi Kendras, where farmers can access verified seeds, fertilizers, and agro-chemicals at affordable prices.
He emphasized the need for state-specific, demand-driven research and urged agricultural scientists to move beyond theory. “A farmer recently asked for a device to test fertilizer quality. We must turn such feedback into real innovation,” Chouhan noted, calling on ICAR and allied institutions to align research with field realities.
During the meeting, ICAR Secretary (DARE) and Director General Dr. M.L. Jat presented the ICAR Annual Report for 2024–25 and read out the resolution for its adoption. Additionally, Puneet Agarwal, Additional Secretary (DARE) and Financial Advisor (ICAR), presented the annual accounts along with the Auditor’s Report for 2023–24, which was also adopted. Four ICAR publications were released on the occasion.
The reports were adopted unanimously. Ministers expressed satisfaction with the growth in food grain production and reaffirmed their commitment to collaborative efforts aimed at boosting the agriculture sector.
Union Minister also announced a series of crop-specific consultations, including a major meeting on cotton scheduled for July 11 in Coimbatore, aimed at revitalizing the Cotton Mission. He said a two-day Rabi Conference will also be held under the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan to chart out the next sowing season’s action plan.
“Agriculture is not just business; it’s a national service,” Chouhan concluded, urging all stakeholders to ensure food and nutritional security for the nation’s 1.44 billion people while preserving soil and nature for future generations.
The high-level meeting saw the participation of over 18 Union and State ministers, including Union Minister of State Bhagirath Choudhary, Dr. Jitendra Singh, S.P. Baghel, George Kurian, and agriculture ministers from states like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Haryana, Odisha, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh. Senior officials, including Union Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi and ICAR Director General Dr. M.L. Jat, were also present.
