Tripura Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath has presented proposals to Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, aiming to enhance the state’s agriculture sector and aid farmers. During the National Conference on Agriculture for Kharif Campaign 2026 in New Delhi, Nath emphasized the significance of paddy cultivation in Tripura, constituting almost half of the state’s total cropped area. He highlighted plans to expand hybrid paddy cultivation, with the state budget already allocating Rs 10 crore for this initiative.
Highlighting the success of organic farming initiatives in Tripura, Nath mentioned the effective implementation of the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCD-NER) scheme. He stressed the need to extend organic farming practices to cover all northeastern states, benefiting small and marginal farmers. Additionally, Nath urged the Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited (BVFCL) to ensure a steady supply of urea to support oil palm cultivation in the state.
Moreover, Nath pointed out that over 15 lakh farmers in Tripura have been included in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) in the past eight years. However, he highlighted the inadequacy of insurance coverage for paddy farmers in flood-prone areas, requesting the inclusion of flooding as a ‘local natural calamity’ in the PMFBY guidelines. The Minister also called for increased support for bio-fencing in oil palm cultivation, proposing an enhancement of assistance from Rs 4,000 to Rs 8,000.
Discussing innovations in potato cultivation, Nath mentioned the adoption of the Apical Rooted Cuttings (ARC) method in Tripura, leading to a significant rise in potato production. He emphasized the importance of continuing consultation support as per the MoU with the International Potato Centre (CIP), Lima, Peru, while requesting the restoration of the consultation fee component under the RKVY-DPR scheme. The conference witnessed the participation of Agriculture Ministers from 19 states, Agriculture Secretary to the Government of India, Atish Chandra, and various senior officials from the Central government.
