Overview

The Kisan Call Centre (KCC) is a toll-free, 24x7-accessible agricultural advisory helpline launched by the Ministry of Agriculture on 21 January 2004, now run by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW). Any farmer in India can dial the all-India toll-free number 1800-180-1551 (or dial 1551 from a BSNL landline) from any mobile phone or landline, free of charge, and speak to a trained agricultural expert in their own local language. The service answers questions on crop production, plant protection, soil health, weather, market (mandi) prices, livestock, fisheries, and government scheme information, and is one of the largest farmer-facing advisory networks in the world.

Calls are answered at dedicated regional call centres covering every State and Union Territory, operating from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM, seven days a week. Replies are given in 22 scheduled Indian languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, and Assamese, so that language is never a barrier to getting expert help.

How the Three-Tier System Works

• Level 1 — Farm Tele Advisor (FTA): The first call is received by a Farm Tele Advisor, an agriculture (or allied-subject) graduate or postgraduate, who notes the farmer's query and location and gives an immediate answer wherever possible.
• Level 2 — Subject Matter Specialists: Queries that need deeper technical knowledge (such as pest/disease diagnosis or input recommendations) are transferred live to crop- or domain-specific Subject Matter Specialists. Around 90% of farmer queries are resolved at this stage.
• Level 3 — Management Group / Scientist Escalation: Unresolved or complex queries are escalated further to ICAR scientists and Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) subject-matter experts, with a callback arranged for the farmer once an answer is available.

The helpline is integrated with the mKisan Portal and mobile app (mkisan.gov.in), which also pushes free SMS/voice advisories in the farmer's chosen language based on crop and location, and lets farmers track the history of their past queries.

Key Benefits

• Completely free, instant expert advice on seeds, fertilizer and nutrient management, irrigation, pest and disease identification, post-harvest handling, and crop selection — available on call, with no consultation fee.
• Daily mandi price and weather information for better selling and sowing decisions.
• 22-language support, making the service genuinely accessible to farmers who are not comfortable in Hindi or English.
• Three-level technical escalation ensures even complex agronomic or veterinary problems reach a qualified specialist or ICAR/KVK scientist.
• Scheme and grievance guidance — farmers can also ask about the status of applications or benefits under schemes like PM-KISAN, PM Fasal Bima Yojana, or Kisan Credit Card, and get guided on where and how to resolve pending issues.
• Integration with mKisan for proactive SMS push-advisories on weather alerts, pest outbreaks, and relevant scheme deadlines.
• No call charges whatsoever — the toll-free number works from any mobile or landline network in India, including from BSNL numbers via the short code 1551.

Eligibility Criteria

• Every farmer in India is eligible to use the Kisan Call Centre — there is no income, landholding, caste/category, or age restriction.
• No prior registration, membership, or application is required to call the helpline.
• The service can be accessed from any mobile phone or landline, from anywhere in the country, at any time during operating hours.
• Farmers of any crop, livestock, poultry, fisheries, or horticulture background can use the service.

Documents Required

• None are required simply to call the helpline — it is a free advisory phone service, not a benefit-transfer scheme.
• For queries related to the status of a specific government scheme (for example, a pending PM-KISAN instalment or a Kisan Credit Card application), keeping your Aadhaar number, registered mobile number, and application/enrolment ID handy helps the agent look up and resolve your query faster.

How to Apply (How to Use the Service)

1. Dial the toll-free number 1800-180-1551 from any mobile phone or landline (or dial 1551 directly from a BSNL landline/mobile).
2. Select your preferred language from the IVR (interactive voice response) menu — 22 languages are supported.
3. Describe your query to the Level 1 Farm Tele Advisor, who will try to answer immediately using the KCC knowledge database.
4. Get transferred, if needed, to a Level 2 Subject Matter Specialist for technical issues such as pest outbreaks, disease diagnosis, or input dosage.
5. Unresolved cases are escalated to Level 3 ICAR/KVK experts, and a follow-up call is scheduled once an answer is ready.
6. Optionally use the mKisan app or portal (mkisan.gov.in) to receive SMS-based advisories automatically and to review a history of your past queries and answers.

Important Points

• The service is 100% toll-free; farmers are never charged for calling or for the advice given.
• All calls are logged for quality monitoring, and unanswered or pending queries are followed up proactively by the call centre.
• Do not confuse this "KCC" (Kisan Call Centre, an advisory helpline) with the similarly abbreviated Kisan Credit Card (also sometimes called KCC), which is a separate credit scheme — the call centre can, however, guide you on who to contact for Kisan Credit Card queries.
• The Kisan Call Centre works alongside other digital tools such as the Kisan Suvidha App, the mKisan Portal, and various state agriculture department helplines.
• The government has been progressively strengthening the KCC system, including piloting AI/ML-based query routing and grievance redressal tools and expanding the database of KVK and ICAR scientist contacts to speed up specialist escalation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Kisan Call Centre toll-free number?

The all-India toll-free number is 1800-180-1551. It can be dialled from any landline or mobile phone across India; BSNL subscribers can also simply dial the short code 1551.

What are the operating hours of the Kisan Call Centre?

The helpline operates from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM, every day of the week, including Sundays and public holidays.

In how many languages can I get advice?

Farmers can get advice in 22 scheduled Indian languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, Odia, Assamese, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam, chosen through the IVR menu at the start of the call.

Is there any cost to use the Kisan Call Centre?

No. The call is completely toll-free and the advisory service itself is free of charge — there is no consultation fee at any level.

Who answers my call at the Kisan Call Centre?

Your first point of contact is a Farm Tele Advisor (FTA), who is a graduate or postgraduate in agriculture or an allied field. If your query needs deeper expertise, you are transferred to a Subject Matter Specialist, and unresolved technical queries are escalated to ICAR scientists or Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) experts.

What kind of questions can I ask the Kisan Call Centre?

You can ask about crop production practices, pest and disease identification and control, seed and fertilizer recommendations, irrigation, weather-based advisories, mandi (market) prices, livestock and fisheries management, and the status of or process for applying to central and state farm welfare schemes.

Is there a mobile app linked to the Kisan Call Centre?

Yes. The mKisan mobile app and portal (mkisan.gov.in) complements the call centre by sending free SMS and voice advisories in your chosen language and lets you view a record of your past queries.

Can I ask about the status of my PM-KISAN or Kisan Credit Card application through this helpline?

Yes. While the Kisan Call Centre is an advisory service and not the scheme's processing authority, agents can guide you on checking your application or instalment status and direct you to the correct portal or office for resolution.