Haryana on Tuesday launched the Haryana FPO Mission-2026, an initiative aimed at strengthening Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), improving market access for farmers and boosting rural incomes through collective agricultural entrepreneurship.
The mission was launched jointly by Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini during the concluding ceremony of the month-long Khet Bachao Abhiyan at the College of Agriculture, Bawal, in Rewari district. Haryana Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana, ICAR Director General Dr Mangi Lal Jat and Vice-Chancellor of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University Prof Baldev Raj Kamboj were among those present.
Addressing the gathering, Saini said nearly 775 Farmer Producer Organisations working in the agriculture, horticulture and dairy sectors are currently active in Haryana. Under the new mission, these organisations will be strengthened through improved supply chains, value addition, processing facilities and better marketing support to enable farmers to secure higher returns for their produce.
The Chief Minister said the initiative would particularly benefit small and marginal farmers by encouraging collective farming and improving their bargaining power in the market. He added that the mission is expected to generate employment opportunities in rural areas while strengthening the state’s agricultural value chain.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said India could not achieve the goal of becoming a developed nation without prosperous farmers and a vibrant agriculture sector. Stressing sustainable farming, he urged cultivators to adopt balanced and scientific use of fertilisers, warning that excessive application of chemicals such as urea and DAP was harming soil health and the environment.
Praising Haryana’s agricultural policies, Chouhan said the state had emerged as a national model through farmer-centric initiatives such as MSP procurement on 24 crops, Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana, Meri Fasal-Mera Byora and Mera Pani-Meri Virasat. He said Haryana continued to play a vital role in the country’s food security despite accounting for only 1.3 per cent of India’s geographical area.
The two leaders also inaugurated an agricultural exhibition showcasing modern farming technologies and honoured six progressive farmers from Rewari, Mahendragarh and Jhajjar districts for their contributions to natural farming, horticulture, beekeeping and millet production.
