‘India needs to raise agri sector's contribution in GDP to 26% to become self-reliant’: Nitin Gadkari

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said that increasing the share of agriculture and allied sectors in the GDP to at least 26 per cent from the present 18 per cent would make India self-reliant.

Nitin Gadkari talks about ways to make agri sector economically viable

As reported by The Economic Times, addressing an annual general meeting of the Crop Care Federation of India, the Union Road Transport and Highways Minister mentioned reducing the cost of production to make the agriculture sector economically viable.

To cut input costs, he called upon the farm equipment manufacturers to make electric as well as flex-engine tractors.

Gadkari also asked the agro-chemicals industry to focus on introducing affordable bio-pesticides and bio-insecticides products by undertaking intensive research & development (R&D) works.

He also told the agri industry to produce basic raw material in India itself and reduce import dependency to ensure the quality of the finished agro-chemicals.

He further said the farm sector is the backbone of our country.

India has become self-sufficient in foodgrain production, he said, mentioning the growth in the agriculture sector since independence.

Minister Gadkari said, "Expenditure and capital cost in agriculture needs to be reduced. Productivity needs to be enhanced".

There is a need for high-yielding seed varieties to boost crop yields and production.

The contribution of agriculture and allied sectors in GDP is 18 per cent, he said, adding that the manufacturing sector is 24-27 per cent and the service sector 52-56 per cent.

"It would be difficult to make India self-reliant (atma-nirbhar) unless the share of agriculture and allied sector increases to at least 26 per cent from 18 per cent," he added.

Gadkari also said that farmers' purchasing power needs to be improved by reducing the cost of farm inputs like seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, insecticides and agri-equipment.

He shared that around 30 per cent of the population migrated from rural India since independence. The Minister said there would be no migration to urban cities if the agriculture sector remains economically viable and there are enough employment opportunities in villages.

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