Farmers in Bihar's Begusarai district have a fresh reason to cheer this financial year. The Horticulture Directorate under the state Agriculture Department has rolled out a new scheme for 2026-27 to promote seed spice cultivation in the district. Under it, farmers growing coriander, fenugreek, fennel and ajwain (carom seeds) can claim a subsidy of up to 40 percent on their cultivation costs. The benefit is capped at 2 hectares per farmer, which means an eligible farmer can receive a subsidy of up to ₹40,000.
How much subsidy per hectare
According to Begusarai's District Horticulture Officer, Dr. Amarjeet Kumar Rai, the unit cost of cultivating seed spice crops under this scheme has been fixed at ₹50,000 per hectare. Farmers will receive 40 percent of that amount, or ₹20,000 per hectare, as subsidy. Since the scheme allows a farmer to claim benefits on a maximum of 2 hectares, the total payout for any single farmer works out to ₹40,000 at most. The subsidy is meant to directly cut down the cost of cultivation and ease the financial burden on farmers.
District's target set at 125 hectares
For the 2026-27 financial year, the Horticulture Directorate has allocated Begusarai district a crop-wise target under the seed spice scheme. Coriander is to be cultivated across 50 hectares, while fenugreek, fennel and ajwain have been assigned 25 hectares each. Put together, the district has a physical target of 125 hectares across all four crops. Once this target is met, no further applications will be accepted for the rest of the financial year.
Applications open only through the Bihar Krishi App
To avail the subsidy, farmers must download the Bihar Krishi App on their mobile phones, since the entire application process will be conducted online through the app. There is currently no offline route for applying. The Agriculture Department has made it clear that benefits will be given on a first-come, first-served basis, meaning farmers who apply early stand a better chance of being covered. Once the district's allocated target is filled, no new applications will be entertained, so interested farmers have been advised to complete the process without delay.
What the scheme will cost and why it matters
As per the Agriculture Department's communication, around ₹25 lakh will be spent in Begusarai district under this scheme, which is funded through the State Plan head. The government's stated aim is to increase the production and productivity of spice crops, encourage farmers to diversify into alternative crops alongside traditional farming, and ultimately raise their income. Coriander, fenugreek, fennel and ajwain all enjoy steady demand in the market, which gives farmers a reasonable shot at better prices and more stable earnings. That, officials say, is why the department is pushing farmers to shift a part of their land towards spice cultivation through this subsidy push.
