Southern Regional Agriculture Conference
Why in News?
The Southern (South Zone) Regional Agriculture Conference 2026 was held in Hyderabad on 18 September 2026, chaired by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, with participation from southern state agriculture ministers and officials.
Strategic Goals & Structural Announcements
- Six-Point Roadmap: The Centre outlined a core roadmap focusing on higher productivity, lowering production costs, securing better prices, mitigating natural calamity damages, diversifying crops, and conserving soil health.
- Upcoming Seed and Fertilizer Acts: To shield farmers from substandard, black-market, or counterfeit supplies, the Central Government announced it is planning to overhaul existing laws and introduce stricter regulatory Seed and Fertilizer Acts.
- 'Lab to Land' Initiative: The government promised to speed up this initiative to smoothly transfer scientific innovations and laboratory research directly to physical farm fields.
- Rabi Conference Timeline: It was announced that the upcoming National Rabi Conference is scheduled to take place on September 28–29 in New Delhi.
Trade, Exports, and Horticulture
- FTAs and Zero-Duty Exports: The Union Minister urged southern states to align with international quality benchmarks to maximize Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). For instance, the India-EU agreement allows zero import duties on prominent southern commodities like tea, coffee, spices, coconut, cashew, and fruits.
- Booming Coconut Sector: Statistics revealed a 62% year-on-year growth in coconut exports (surging from ₹4,349 crore to ₹7,038 crore). A new dedicated promotion scheme from the Union Budget will soon be active.
Technology and Digitalization
- Digital Infrastructure: The status of the Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM) and the building of a universal Farmers' Registry were thoroughly reviewed to digitalize beneficiary tracking.
- Resource Management: Deliberations focused on executing a balanced Framework for Fertiliser Sale (FFS) and integrating technology to stop the illegal diversion of subsidized fertilizers to industries.
Innovations Showcased by Southern States
During the summit, respective state departments highlighted their indigenous models for potential replication across the country:
During the summit, respective state departments highlighted their indigenous models for potential replication across the country:
- Telangana: Presented its extension ecosystem, 'Rythu Nestham'.
- Andhra Pradesh: Showcased its dedicated framework on climate change mitigation and weather variability.
- Karnataka: Highlighted its advanced practices in improving pulse production.
- Kerala: Shared successful procurement and digital marketplace strategies.
- Tamil Nadu: Presented its benchmarks in precision farming and high-tech agriculture.
