Seoni Bureau
Summary: Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav addressed farmers virtually at the Balram Krishi Mahotsav held at the Simaria mandi premises in Seoni district on 2 November 2026. He announced that paddy procurement registration will remain open till 4 November, that Rabi crops will get 10 hours of daytime power, and that a food park will soon be set up in Seoni.
District-level Balram Krishi Mahotsav at Simaria mandi
A district-level Balram Krishi Mahotsav was held on Monday, 2 November 2026, at the Simaria agricultural produce market premises in Seoni district. Organised under the Kisan Kalyan Varsh 2026, the festival brought together farmers from across the district on a single platform. Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav joined the programme virtually from the Mantralaya and addressed the farmers.
The aim of the festival was to give farmers information on modern agricultural techniques, improved seeds, crop management and agricultural innovations in one place. Exhibition stalls of agriculture and allied departments at the venue explained schemes related to agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and fisheries, including their eligibility, benefits and application process. Scientists of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra and subject experts guided the farmers on modern methods, improved production and allied activities.
Balaghat-Seoni Lok Sabha member Bharti Pardhi, Madhya Pradesh State Cooperative Bank administrator Mahendra Singh Yadav and Seoni MLA Dinesh Rai also addressed the programme. Leading farmers from different parts of the district, who have done notable work with innovation in agriculture and allied activities, shared their experiences with fellow farmers.
Paddy procurement registration open till 4 November
In his address, the Chief Minister spoke specifically about paddy procurement. He said that, for the convenience of farmers and to give maximum eligible farmers the opportunity to sell their produce at the support price, the last date for paddy procurement registration has been extended to 4 November. Arrangements are being made so that no eligible farmer is left out of registration.
This announcement matters most for farmers who could not register so far for any reason. Registration is the first condition for selling paddy at the support price, so the extended date gives left-out farmers another opportunity. Farmers are advised to check their registration status at their nearest registration centre before 4 November and complete any pending registration in time.
The same 4 November date had also figured in the Balaghat Balram Krishi Mahotsav, but the Seoni programme is a separate district event, focused on Seoni’s own crops, farmers and local possibilities. Farmers should therefore treat the Seoni announcement as their own district-level opportunity, not as a repeat of another district’s programme.
Ten hours of daytime power for Rabi irrigation
The Chief Minister said the Madhya Pradesh government is working with commitment for farmers’ welfare, for raising their income and for making agriculture more profitable. Efforts are continuing to connect farmers with modern agricultural techniques, to encourage diversification and to help them get a better price for their produce.
He said that farmers in the state are currently being given 10 hours of power during the day for farming work. For Rabi irrigation, 10 hours of uninterrupted daytime power supply will relieve farmers of the compulsion to irrigate at night. Taking water to fields at night is difficult and unsafe for farmers, so daytime power is directly connected with their convenience and safety.
Timely irrigation in the Rabi season is decisive for the yield of wheat, gram, mustard and other crops. With power available during the day, farmers can plan irrigation better, arrange labour and use irrigation equipment safely. It also helps them match watering with the stage of the crop and the moisture in the field.
Seoni’s identity: Jeerashankar rice and Jumbo Sitaphal
The Chief Minister also spoke about Seoni district’s agricultural identity. He said the district’s Jeerashankar rice holds a distinct identity because of its special aroma and taste. Seoni’s Jumbo Sitaphal, known for its large size and sweetness, is also becoming a special identity of the district.
Crops such as tomato, chilli, linseed, mustard and sunflower also present important possibilities for farmers in the district. Their importance grows because they take farmers beyond dependence on traditional crops alone. Horticulture crops, oilseeds and pulses can become additional sources of income according to market demand.
Strengthening the identity of these special products needs branding, processing and market access as much as production. That is why the Chief Minister laid special emphasis on processing at the local level, so that value addition happens close to where the crop is grown.
Food park to come up soon in Seoni
The Chief Minister announced that a food park will soon be established in Seoni, so that local processing and value addition of agricultural produce helps farmers get a better price for their produce. This will encourage agro-based industries and create new opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship at the local level.
The direct benefit of a food park is that farmers will be less compelled to send their produce in raw form to distant markets. Local processing raises the value of produce, reduces storage and transport losses, and creates work for local youth in their own district. For products such as tomato, chilli, Sitaphal and paddy, processing opens possibilities of pulp, pickles, rice processing and other value-added products.
The Chief Minister also spoke about the big role of the district’s Jevnara fish seed farm in fish seed production, in strengthening farmers and the rural economy. Local availability of fish seed reduces dependence on distant sources for fish farmers, and lowers the cost and risk of fish farming.
Kisan Kalyan Varsh 2026: additional sources of income
The Chief Minister said that the year 2026 is being observed as Kisan Kalyan Varsh. Through it, special attention is being given to making farming more profitable and to connecting farmers with additional sources of income. Along with traditional crops, pulses, oilseeds, horticulture and cash crops are being encouraged, so that farmers can produce according to market demand and reduce agricultural risk.
He said that agriculture in the state is not being kept limited to traditional farming alone. By connecting it with horticulture, animal husbandry, fisheries and food processing, new opportunities for farmers’ income are being developed. It is through farmers’ hard work, he said, that Madhya Pradesh is continuously achieving new milestones in agriculture.
The meaning of this approach is that a farmer family’s income should no longer depend on a single crop and its price alone. Milk from animal husbandry, fish from fisheries, fruits and vegetables from horticulture, and value-added products from processing can together give stability to a family’s income. If one crop fails, another source can support the family.
Registry scheme and rural transport
The Chief Minister also referred to the Mukhyamantri Registry Yojana in his address. He said it is an important initiative for people living in rural areas. Through it, properties in rural abadi areas are surveyed and eligible beneficiaries are given title records and registry.
Under the scheme, the state government will spend Rs 10,000 crore from its own treasury to give permanent registry of their leasehold property to more than 60 lakh rural people, giving them full rights over it. With a formal title, rural citizens will be able to use their property independently and, when needed, obtain bank loans against it to take their economic activities forward. This will strengthen the economic condition of rural families and create new opportunities for development in villages.
The Chief Minister also said that, under the Mukhyamantri Sugam Parivahan Seva, the government Sugam bus service has been restarted. This will improve travel facilities in rural areas and make more accessible means of transport available. In rural areas, a bus service means not only travel, but also access to the mandi, to medical care, to education and to employment.
Encouragement for youth and innovative farmers
The Chief Minister also encouraged the winners of the farmer quiz competition held during the Balram Krishi Mahotsav. He said such events are an effective medium to connect farmers with new information, modern techniques and agricultural innovations. He urged youth to use new techniques, scientific methods and innovations in farming and to make agriculture an effective medium of employment.
For young people, agriculture is no longer only an inherited occupation. Drip irrigation, soil testing, improved seeds, crop rotation, storage and direct selling can run farming as an organised enterprise. Quiz competitions and exhibitions introduce youth to these methods and give them a chance to learn from the experience of successful farmers.
At the festival, leading farmers shared their experiences, which work as practical guidance for other farmers. There is a big difference between reading about a technique in a book and hearing about it from a farmer who has adopted it in his own field and earned a profit from it. That is why farmer-to-farmer dialogue is given special importance in such festivals.
What next: steps farmers should take
For Seoni’s farmers, the most immediate step is linked to paddy registration. Farmers whose registration has not yet been done should get it done by 4 November. Visiting the registration centre, checking the status, getting the details recorded correctly and keeping the registration receipt safe are small steps that can prevent big trouble later, when selling produce at the support price.
The second step is linked to planning Rabi irrigation. Farmers can use the 10 hours of daytime power by preparing an irrigation schedule in advance. Watering with attention to soil moisture, the stage of the crop and water availability saves water and gives the crop water at the right time.
The third step is linked to diversifying income. Crops such as tomato, chilli, mustard, sunflower and linseed hold possibilities in Seoni’s soil and climate. Farmers can seek advice from Krishi Vigyan Kendra and horticulture department experts for these crops. Those interested in fisheries and animal husbandry can also seek information on departmental schemes and local resources such as Jevnara.
After the announcement of the food park, it is also time for local youth and entrepreneurs to prepare. Learning skills linked to processing, packaging, storage and marketing, strengthening self-help groups and cooperative efforts, and understanding market demand will keep Seoni’s people ready when the food park comes up.
The Seoni Balram Krishi Mahotsav is therefore not only a one-day event, but a platform that sets the direction of the district’s agriculture. The paddy registration deadline, daytime power, the food park and the identity of special crops together show that the coming months hold opportunities for Seoni’s farmers, along with the responsibility to act in time.
Disclaimer: This news has been prepared on the basis of available sources and verification. If any fact is found incorrect, a correction will be published.
