Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid out a visionary roadmap for India’s agriculture sector on Friday, advocating export-led production to supercharge farmers’ incomes and generate jobs. Speaking at a webinar themed ‘Agriculture and Rural Transformation,’ he connected the dots between global supply chains and domestic farming prowess.
‘It’s time to elevate export-based agriculture and link it to international markets,’ PM Modi declared. As a core economic driver, agriculture demands innovation in this new era. Shifting discussions from traditional practices to crop diversification, high-value produce, and tech integration is crucial amid changing global tastes.
The 2026-27 Budget introduces game-changing reforms for productivity and earnings, PM Modi pointed out. Unity among stakeholders—experts, businesses, and farmers—is key to fostering high-value agriculture and global competitiveness.
Emphasizing quality, branding, and organic methods, the Prime Minister envisioned fisheries emerging as a major export powerhouse. Rural prosperity hinges on innovative models and premium crops such as cashews, coconuts, sandalwood, agarwood, nuts, and more.
Private sector involvement in livestock and marine sectors was a focal point, alongside empowering women’s SHGs through expanded e-commerce like SHE-Mart. Digital strides include 76.3 million farmer IDs and surveys of 235 million plots, fortifying tech-driven farming.
With a hefty Rs 1.62 lakh crore budget outlay—up 7%—the government targets coastal high-value crops, Northeast specialties, and hill produce. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s announcements signal a resolute push for modernized agriculture, job creation, and income doubling for farmers, paving the way for a prosperous rural India.