New Delhi: India's agriculture sector has seen remarkable progress under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government, including a 44 per cent surge in sugarcane production since 2014, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday.
Addressing the 'Agribusiness Summit 2025' here, the minister stressed integrated farming models for small landholdings averaging less than 1 hectare, value addition, diversification into fish and cattle, and strict regulations on bio-inputs, reducing from 30,000 to just 8,000 compliant producers, while urging balanced fertiliser use to prevent soil degradation and ensure future generations' prosperity.
Ramesh Chand, member, NITI Aayog, stressed that boosting both 'utpadan' (production) and 'utpadakta' (productivity) remains vital, as India's agricultural workforce engages deeply in cultivation but needs higher output per acre. "Drawing a comparison with China's $5 trillion economy, he noted how their farmers act as gardeners, innovators, and precise land managers, achieving superior yields through intensive practices- even in fertiliser use, where India can learn from their effective management to minimise adverse effects while maximising benefits," Chand added.
RG Agarwal, chair, agribusiness committee, PHDCCI, underlined that farmers have always delivered for the nation, and now, it is time we deliver for them -- by ensuring they receive the best technologies, knowledge, and support to enhance their productivity and income. Rahul Dhanuka, managing director, Dhanuka Agritech Limited, noted that India features the world's lowest agricultural medicine usage as per FAO data, with recent studies showing further declines, though misuse in certain pockets remains a concern.
The summit commenced with a powerful focus on "Tripling the Agricultural GDP by Using New Technology and Quality Agri Inputs." Bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, innovators, and farmers, it aims to explore and promote cutting-edge technologies and superior agricultural inputs that can revolutionise productivity and sustainability in the agriculture sector.
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