Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday addressed a post-budget webinar on ‘Agriculture and Rural Transformation’, stating that the Union Budget 2026 has provided a new direction to India’s agriculture and rural development sectors. He emphasised that agriculture remains the backbone of the Indian economy and a key pillar of the country’s long-term development.
Government Strengthening the Agriculture Sector
The Prime Minister said the government has taken several major steps in recent years to strengthen the agriculture sector and support farmers.
He noted that under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, more than ₹4 lakh crore has been transferred to over 10 crore farmers. Similarly, nearly ₹2 lakh crore in insurance claims have been settled under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, helping reduce risks for farmers and providing them financial security.
Push for Export-Oriented Agriculture
Modi stressed the need to make India’s agriculture export-oriented in line with growing global demand. He said India’s diverse climatic conditions offer significant opportunities to enhance productivity and expand agricultural exports.
Promoting high-value crops would help make India’s agriculture sector globally competitive, he added.
Promoting High-Value Crops
The Prime Minister highlighted the importance of expanding cultivation of high-value crops such as cocoa, cashew and sandalwood. He also suggested promoting agarwood cultivation in the Northeast and temperate nuts in Himalayan states.
According to him, export-oriented production will also boost processing and value addition, creating new employment opportunities in rural areas.
Huge Potential in Fisheries Sector
Modi said India is currently the second-largest fish producer in the world, and the fisheries sector holds significant growth potential.
He added that fisheries can become a high-impact sector for rural prosperity and export growth, provided that new business models are developed in areas such as hatcheries, feed production and logistics.
Focus on Digital Agriculture
The Prime Minister also highlighted the government’s efforts to build digital public infrastructure for agriculture through AgriStack.
Initiatives such as e-NAM, digital land surveys and farmer identity systems are bringing technological transformation to the agriculture sector, he said.
He added that technology becomes truly effective when institutions adopt it and entrepreneurs innovate around it.
Rural Prosperity and Women’s Entrepreneurship
Highlighting rural development initiatives, Modi referred to schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, which have strengthened rural infrastructure.
He also mentioned the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ initiative, under which the government aims to create three crore successful women entrepreneurs by 2029.
The Prime Minister said the government remains committed to boosting the rural economy through better coordination between agriculture, technology and investment, ensuring sustainable growth and prosperity in rural India.
