The Union government aims to transform agriculture into a globally competitive sector, as the 2026-27 Budget includes ample allocations that will also lead to broader transformation of rural India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday.
Addressing the third in a series of Budget-related webinars, in which Modi interacted with policymakers, he called for a unified “whole-of-government” approach in engaging with agriculture experts, industry and farmers to meet global branding and quality standards to modernize agriculture.
Modi urged farmers to take advantage of India’s diverse climatic conditions to increase high-value crops, such as nuts, cocoa and agarwood, so that Indian products can win global markets, amid shifts in consumption trends.
“Today, world markets are open, and global demand is changing. It is necessary to have more discussions on making our agriculture export-oriented. We have a diverse climate, and we must take full advantage of it. We are rich in agro-climatic zones,” he said.
Modi focused on increasing productivity and exports from the agricultural sector, a major source of income for about half of Indians. Agriculture is also crucial to the manufacturing sector as it provides key raw materials for industry.
“You must have noticed that your suggestions are reflected in the budget and have been very helpful. But now that the budget has been presented, the next step is to ensure that the country gets the full potential benefits from it,” Modi told officials at the start of the day-long brainstorming session.
Modi called for setting clear goals to connect “local farmers to global markets”, stressing changing global demand and the need to make Indian agriculture export-oriented. “In this webinar, it is necessary to have maximum discussion on making our agriculture export-oriented.”
Successive Budgets have focused on strengthening the agriculture sector continuously, Modi said, adding that schemes like PM-Kisan, cash transfer scheme and minimum support prices giving 50% returns have reduced the risks faced by poor farmers.
Providing data on the success of existing schemes, Modi said 100 million farmers have received more than this $4 crore as Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi. almost $Modi said 2 lakh crore insurance claims have been settled under Prime Minister Faisal Bima Yojana, the flagship crop cover scheme, and institutional credit coverage is more than 75%. “These many efforts have reduced the risks faced by farmers and provided them with basic economic security.”
Modi called for effective and faster implementation of this year’s budget proposals, such as promoting a particular region for crops such as cocoa, cashew nuts and sandalwood. He mentioned a proposal to promote agarwood in the north-east and temperate nut crops in the Himalayan states.
Modi noted that export-oriented production will create employment opportunities in rural areas through industrialization and value addition. “If we scale up high-value agriculture together, it will transform agriculture into a globally competitive sector,” Modi said.
Modi said modernization and expansion of the fisheries sector could propel India into one of the world’s largest exporters, leading to increased income for fishermen. “New business models in hatcheries, feed and logistics are needed to realize the potential of the blue economy.”
Modi stressed on natural and chemical-free farming for sustainable agriculture, which is a “strategic pillar of India’s long-term development journey”.
