Maharashtra Launches 2025–26 State-Level Crop Competition To Boost Agricultural Innovation

Navi Mumbai: The Agriculture Department of Maharashtra has officially announced the launch of the 2025–26 state-level crop competition for food grains, pulses, and oilseeds, aiming to encourage innovation and increased productivity among farmers. The Deputy Director of Agriculture (Information), Commissionerate of Agriculture, Pune, has appealed to farmers across the state to actively participate in this initiative.

The competition seeks to motivate farmers who adopt innovative practices to increase yield and quality of crops. By recognizing and rewarding such efforts, the department hopes to boost morale and encourage the use of modern agricultural technologies. This, in turn, is expected to benefit the wider farming community and contribute significantly to the state’s overall agricultural production, a statement released by Raigad administration said.

The competition will be held in three stages — taluka, district, and state levels — and will include both general and tribal farmer categories. Participants will be evaluated based on productivity, and winners from the taluka level will qualify for higher rounds at district and state levels.

For the 2025–26 cycle, the competition will include a total of 16 crops, comprising 11 Kharif crops and 5 Rabi crops. The Kharif crops are: paddy, jowar (sorghum), bajra (pearl millet), maize, ragi (finger millet), tur (pigeon pea), moong (green gram), urad (black gram), soybean, groundnut, and sunflower. The Rabi crops are: jowar, wheat, chickpea (harbhara), safflower (karadai), and linseed (jawas).

Detailed guidelines and instructions have been made available on the official website of the Agriculture Department: www.krishi.maharashtra.gov.in

The last date for submitting applications varies by crop. For moong and urad (Kharif crops), the deadline is July 3. For other Kharif crops, the deadline is August 31, and for Rabi crops, the deadline is December 31, this year.

Winners of the competition will receive cash prizes at each level. At the taluka level, first prize will be Rs 5,000, second Rs 3,000, and third Rs 2,000. At the district level, the prizes will be Rs 10,000, Rs 7,000, and Rs 5,000 for the first, second, and third positions respectively. At the state level, the top three winners will receive Rs 50,000, Rs 40,000, and Rs 30,000 respectively.

This annual initiative aims to build a spirit of healthy competition among farmers and strengthen the adoption of best farming practices across Maharashtra. The Agriculture Department has encouraged all eligible farmers to take advantage of this opportunity and register for the competition before the respective deadlines.