June 1-15 ‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan’ to Promote Balanced Fertilizer Use, Soil Health

Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday inaugurated the Eastern Regional Agriculture Conference in Bhubaneswar along with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and called for making agriculture in eastern India more productive, sustainable, scientific, and profitable.

Addressing the conference, Chouhan announced that a nationwide “Khet Bachao Abhiyan” (Save Farm Campaign) will be launched from June 1 to June 15. The campaign will focus on promoting balanced fertilizer use, improving soil health, spreading awareness about modern agricultural technologies and government schemes, and sensitizing farmers on sustainable farming practices.

The minister said strict measures were needed to prevent the diversion of fertilizers and ensure that subsidized fertilizers are used only by farmers and strictly for agricultural purposes.

The awareness drive on balanced fertilizer use comes at a time when rising tensions in West Asia have pushed up global fertilizer prices and created challenges in imports. The government’s fertilizer subsidy burden is estimated to rise by nearly Rs 70,000 crore this year. Against this backdrop, efforts are being intensified to reduce excessive fertilizer consumption, although concerns are also being raised about its possible impact on agricultural productivity.

Chouhan described fake fertilizers, substandard seeds, and counterfeit pesticides as serious crimes against farmers and said a nationwide crackdown would be launched against such elements. He also stressed the need for stricter laws and stronger enforcement by states to ensure farmers receive quality agricultural inputs without an increase in cultivation costs.

Highlighting the importance of soil health for sustainable agriculture, the Union minister said balanced fertilizer application must become a priority. He noted that indiscriminate use of fertilizers without soil testing not only raises input costs but also damages soil fertility. Farmers, he said, should be encouraged to use fertilizers only as per requirement. He also urged farmers to adopt natural farming practices on at least a portion of their land.

Deliberations on Eastern India’s Agricultural Growth

The conference, attended by representatives from Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal, discussed issues such as pulses and oilseed production, integrated farming for small landholders, natural farming, farmer registry, horticulture, agricultural credit, marketing reforms, curbing fake farm inputs, and measures to enhance farmers’ incomes.

Chouhan said small landholdings remain a major reality in eastern states, making integrated farming a practical model for the region. He described eastern India’s fertile land, water availability, diverse climate, and hardworking farmers as the region’s greatest strengths and said that with focused efforts, eastern India could emerge as the growth engine of India’s agricultural development.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the Eastern Regional Agriculture Conference provides an important platform for eastern states to prepare a shared roadmap for the future of agriculture. He added that the conference would strengthen the vision of “Purvodaya” and provide new momentum to agricultural productivity, climate-resilient farming, and inclusive agricultural development in eastern India.

Union Ministers of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary and Ramnath Thakur, Odisha Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Bihar Agriculture Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, Chhattisgarh Agriculture Minister Ramvichar Netam, West Bengal government representative minister Ashok Keertaniya, Agriculture Secretary Atish Chandra, ICAR Director General Dr Mangi Lal Jat, along with senior officials, scientists, farmer representatives, KVKs, FPOs, startups, NABARD, and banking representatives were also present at the event.