Lucknow: The soul of India resides in its villages, and agriculture is the axis on which village life turns. Uttar Pradesh, the country’s most populous state and a major agricultural hub, has long been known for its fertile land and hardworking farmers. Under the able and far-sighted leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the work done by the state’s double-engine government in the agriculture sector is now clearly visible on the ground through the numbers. Since 2017, government policies have remained farmer-centric, and historic, transformative changes have been brought about in the agriculture sector under the Chief Minister’s leadership. Today, Uttar Pradesh is setting new records in cultivated area, production, productivity and crop intensity.
The state government has, during its tenure, ensured that every inch of the state’s cultivable land is put to good use. Providing farmers with proper irrigation facilities, timely electricity and improved resources has directly resulted in a remarkable increase in the area under cultivation. While the area under kharif crops stood at 91.45 lakh hectares in 2016-17, it rose to 105.93 lakh hectares in 2024-25 — an increase of 15.8 percent. By reducing dependence on the monsoon, the government has put in place robust irrigation arrangements that are encouraging farmers to sow their crops with full confidence.
Similarly, the area under rabi crops has also seen a substantial expansion. The rabi area, which stood at 122.23 lakh hectares in 2016-17, grew to 138.78 lakh hectares in 2024-25, an increase of 13.5 percent. Assured irrigation and the timely availability of fertilisers and seeds for rabi crops have played a key role in this growth.
Zaid crop area records historic jump
The most striking and historic figures in the state have come from the area under zaid crops. Zaid crops, typically sown during the summer season, were once quite limited due to water scarcity and a lack of resources — confined to just 1.93 lakh hectares in 2016-17. But through the efforts of the Yogi government, the zaid area grew to 12.93 lakh hectares in 2024-25 — an extraordinary and historic increase of 570 percent. It is a result of the various facilities being provided to farmers by the present government that farmers in Uttar Pradesh are now using their land throughout the year. Taken together, the total agricultural area, which stood at 215.61 lakh hectares in 2016-17, has crossed the remarkable figure of 257.64 lakh hectares in 2024-25 — a striking increase of 19.5 percent.
Along with the expansion in area, the scientific methods and improved seeds that the Uttar Pradesh government has made available to farmers to boost productivity have also pushed production figures to new heights, offering the strongest evidence of the government’s success.
Kharif crop production, which stood at 181.75 metric tonnes in 2016-17, rose to 263.09 metric tonnes in 2024-25 — a massive increase of 45 percent, driven by the Yogi government’s farmer-friendly policies. Similarly, rabi crop production, which stood at 388.3 metric tonnes in 2016-17, jumped by 24 percent to reach 479.61 metric tonnes in 2024-25.
Zaid production up over 1,000 percent
In zaid crop production, Uttar Pradesh has presented a model before the entire country that is truly unmatched. Zaid production, which stood at just 2.7 metric tonnes in 2016-17, has now reached 30.81 metric tonnes in 2024-25 — an unprecedented increase of 1,041 percent. This increase of over a thousand percent clearly reflects the best possible synergy between farmers’ hard work and government support. Taking all crops together, the state’s total agricultural production, which stood at 572.75 metric tonnes in 2016-17, rose by an overall 35 percent to reach 773.51 metric tonnes in 2024-25 — a major achievement in making Uttar Pradesh the country’s strongest agricultural state.
Crop intensity climbs to 182 percent
Crop intensity is the most accurate yardstick for measuring any state’s agricultural progress. It simply refers to how many times crops are grown on the same piece of agricultural land in a year. This figure rises only when farmers have year-round irrigation facilities, access to improved machinery, and confidence that they will get a fair price for their produce.
Under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s leadership, the state government has done significant work in this direction as well. Uttar Pradesh’s crop intensity stood at 163 percent in 2016-17; through the current government’s tireless efforts, the expansion of irrigated area, the revival of canals, and uninterrupted 24-hour power supply to farmers, it has risen to 182 percent in 2023-24. This overall increase of 19 percent is no ordinary figure — it reflects that farmers in Uttar Pradesh are now successfully growing two or more crops a year on their land, their income is steadily rising, and they have become economically stronger than ever before.
This story of positive change in the lives of millions of farmers in Uttar Pradesh reflects how, under the Chief Minister’s able leadership, the government has ensured that farmers face no difficulty at any stage — from sowing their seeds to selling their produce in the market. From the successful implementation of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana to record procurement of wheat and paddy, the government has stood firmly with farmers at every step.
Today, the agriculture sector in Uttar Pradesh is not only strengthening the state’s economy but has also become one of the most important pillars of food security for the entire country. This growth in area, production and crop intensity reflects the state government’s strong resolve, its corruption-free system, and the guiding principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” (together with all, development for all).
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