Embrace modern technology to boost income: Union minister urges farmers at Jhajjar

Addressing the Peri-Urban Agri Leadership Summit-2026 in Hasanpur village of Jhajjar, Choudhary stressed the need for value addition, better marketing facilities and direct access to markets to ensure remunerative prices for farmers’ produce

Union minister of state for agriculture and farmers’ welfare Bhagirath Choudhary on Friday called upon farmers to adopt modern agricultural technologies, crop diversification, horticulture and natural farming to increase their income and make agriculture economically viable.

Choudhary said agriculture is the backbone of the country’s economy and farmers feed its 1.4 billion people. (HT Photo)

Addressing the Peri-Urban Agri Leadership Summit-2026 in Hasanpur village of Jhajjar, Choudhary stressed the need for value addition, better marketing facilities and direct access to markets to ensure remunerative prices for farmers’ produce.

Choudhary said agriculture is the backbone of the country’s economy and farmers feed its 1.4 billion people. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the government is working for farmers’ welfare, he said, urging them to move beyond traditional farming and explore activities such as horticulture, floriculture, beekeeping, fisheries and animal husbandry, he added.

“Farmers should select crops according to their land, climatic conditions and available resources,” he said, emphasising that diversification could help improve incomes and reduce dependence on conventional crops.

Highlighting the importance of soil testing, the Union minister said farmers should understand their soil’s condition to ensure balanced fertiliser use, reduce cultivation costs and improve the quality of produce. He also called for strengthening value addition and marketing systems so that farmers could produce according to market demand and secure better returns.

Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare minister Shyam Singh Rana encouraged farmers to reduce their dependence on chemical fertilisers and adopt natural farming practices to preserve soil fertility and protect the environment.

Presiding over the summit, former Haryana minister, Om Prakash Dhankhar said making agriculture profitable is essential to protect farmers’ landholdings and sustain farming as a livelihood. Farmers would remain connected to their land and younger generations would be encouraged to take up agriculture only when they received fair prices and adequate returns for their efforts, he said.

Dhankhar stressed the need for innovation, crop diversification, agriculture-based enterprises and improved marketing practices. He called for collective efforts to connect farmers with modern technologies and emerging opportunities in the sector.

Rana inspects paddy, bajra

procurement at Jhajjar grain market

Rana on Friday inspected paddy and bajra procurement arrangements at the Jhajjar grain market and directed officials to ensure a smooth, transparent and time-bound process, with no inconvenience to farmers.

Accompanied by officials of the procurement agencies, Rana reviewed the arrangements and interacted with farmers and commission agents to learn about the problems they were facing. He directed officials to address complaints promptly and ensure that farmers received the prescribed price for their produce without unnecessary delays.

Rana said the central and state governments were committed to protecting farmers’ interests and ensuring fair returns for their crops. He stressed that adequate arrangements for procurement, lifting, storage and payment must be maintained, and warned against negligence at any stage of the process.

The minister directed officials to ensure that farmers did not face unnecessary difficulties in obtaining gate passes. In cases of discrepancies in details recorded on the Meri Fasal-Mera Byora portal, the concerned officials should verify the records and resolve the issues promptly according to the rules, he said.