UP saw significant agricultural growth in past nine years: CM

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said the State has significantly improved its agriculture growth rate over the past nine years as he credited sustained policy efforts and better resource utilisation.

Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the sixth Uttar Pradesh Agricultural Science Congress-2026 in Lucknow, Adityanath said the State’s agriculture growth rate has increased from around eight per cent to 18 per cent during this period (in the past nine years).

Highlighting the State’s importance in India’s agrarian economy, he said Uttar Pradesh accounts for 16-17 per cent of the country’s population and possesses about 11 per cent of its cultivable land, contributing nearly 21 per cent to the nation’s total foodgrain production. The State has some of the most fertile land and robust water resources, which, if utilised effectively, can yield significant results, he said. Attacking previous Governments in the State, he said, “Before 2017, the agriculture sector had become a symbol of disorder, unorganised systems, and deep mistrust among farmers. Effective procurement at Minimum Support Price could not be ensured, procurement centres were weak, and middlemen dominated. Farmers faced difficulty in getting fair prices for their produce. Sugarcane farmers had to wait for years for payments, which pushed them into debt.”

He said that after 2017, the BJP Government prioritised agriculture and implemented transparent, technology-based, and farmer-centric policies.

Procurement at MSP at one-and-a-half times the cost of production was ensured, and payments were made directly through DBT. This increased farmers’ confidence and gave agriculture a new identity as a profitable and respectable profession.

The CM further added, “Current global conditions have made it clear that self-reliance in agriculture and food security is extremely essential. Disruptions in international supply chains, uncertain availability of petroleum products, and fluctuations in fertiliser prices indicate that dependence on external sources can be risky for the country.

“In such a situation, it has become necessary for an agriculture-based country like India to strengthen its traditional agricultural system and integrate it with modern technology.”