Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi announced that foodgrain production has grown by 42% as compared to 2016, positioning Uttar Pradesh as the leading state. Under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath, numerous agriculture-focused initiatives were established. The UP Agriculture Minister emphasized that the ongoing schemes to strengthen farmers and agriculture have placed UP at the forefront nationally. He shared these insights on Tuesday at the Aaj Tak Developed Uttar Pradesh Summit in Lucknow.
Highlighting per capita income, he stated that there has been a significant increase in farmer happiness. Although agricultural land has been shrinking yearly, productivity has surged for every crop. According to Shahi, MSP for every crop has almost doubled compared to 2014. He cited an expansion in sugarcane cultivation and addressed the issue of payment rather than price increase, noting that when their government began, there was an outstanding sugarcane value of 8.5 thousand crore.
Today, he asserted, they have processed over 34 thousand crore of sugarcane and made payments exceeding 32 thousand crore. This marks a new era. He referenced wheat and rice MSP and procurement statistics, remarking that the three laws introduced by PM Modi were pro-farmer. Shahi mentioned that the Modi government has increased income in pulses and oilseeds by more than double. The government is also allocating two thousand crore in subsidies for fertilizers.
Shahi noted that while India does not produce material for urea or DAP domestically, we rely heavily on imports. When questioned about fertilizer challenges in UP, he claimed there are no issues—just misinformation. They have provided 16 lakh metric tons of urea to farmers. The Yogi government has revitalized PACS societies, injecting five lakh rupees in working capital three years ago. All cooperative banks and societies endured challenges like termites.
21 out of 23 Cooperative Banks in UP Profitable
The UP Agriculture Minister reported that 21 out of 23 cooperative banks are currently profitable. Responding to questions about agriculture, he noted that UP operates four schemes, including the UP Free Pulses Scheme. Last year, oilseed production surged by more than 200% compared to when they started, initiating a free oilseed scheme. Shahi mentioned they are offering free kits to farmers. UP has the highest production rate for crops like potatoes and rice.
He talked about increased acreage from vegetables to millets and introduced the swift corn development program. Several ethanol factories for corn have opened in UP. Shahi mentioned that when the Yogi government came into power, 116 sugar mills were operational—now growing to 122. Recovery rates have improved by 2%. He recalled when they started, the budget was near two lakh crores, which this time exceeded eight lakh crore. UP, once a BIMARU state, is now a surplus state.
GST Reform Benefits Every Citizen
Referring to Central Government statistics, Minister Surya Pratap Shahi highlighted surpassing Gujarat in surplus. On GST matters, he stated that duties once ranged from 40-50%. The GST reform effective from the 22nd will benefit everyone, as many items have been exempted from taxation. Previously under UPA, agricultural tax slabs were up to 42-43%.
He discussed the savings from purchases of tractors and combines, noting a benefit of 1.25 lakh rupees on combine purchases. Shahi urged minimizing chemical fertilizer use and advocated for self-sufficiency through natural farming. He shared that UP now produces a significant number of doctors annually, with the responsibility to ensure a healthy future generation.
