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Agriculture
Gujarat Enacts Law Capping Farm Holdings at 0.25 Acre
✍️ The Indian Express
🗓 08 Sep 2026, 06:36 PM
👁 2
The Gujarat government has introduced legislation restricting individual agricultural landholdings to a maximum of 0.25 acre, aiming to curb land fragmentation and promote efficient farming.
The Gujarat cabinet has passed a new ordinance that limits the size of any single agricultural plot to 0.25 acre. The measure, announced this week, applies to all private farmland across the state and will take effect from the start of the next financial year.
Officials say the restriction is intended to address the chronic problem of land fragmentation, which they argue hampers the adoption of modern, mechanised farming techniques. By capping holdings, the government hopes to encourage consolidation of plots, improve productivity and reduce the number of marginal farmers who struggle to earn a viable income.
Farmers' associations have expressed concern that the rule could force smallholders to sell or lease their land, potentially leading to displacement. The state government, however, maintains that the policy will be accompanied by support schemes, such as credit facilities and technical assistance, to help affected cultivators transition to more sustainable agricultural practices.
Officials say the restriction is intended to address the chronic problem of land fragmentation, which they argue hampers the adoption of modern, mechanised farming techniques. By capping holdings, the government hopes to encourage consolidation of plots, improve productivity and reduce the number of marginal farmers who struggle to earn a viable income.
Farmers' associations have expressed concern that the rule could force smallholders to sell or lease their land, potentially leading to displacement. The state government, however, maintains that the policy will be accompanied by support schemes, such as credit facilities and technical assistance, to help affected cultivators transition to more sustainable agricultural practices.