India needs to raise agri sector`s contribution in GDP to 26% to become self-reliant: Nitin Gadkari
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has emphasized the need to increase the share of agriculture and allied sector in the GDP to at least 26 per cent from the present 18 per cent to make India self-reliant. He underscored the need to reduce the cost of production to make agriculture sector economically viable. On input cost front, he has called upon the farm equipment manufacturers to make electric as well as flex-engine tractors. Besides, he 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 suggested the industry to produce basic raw material in India and reduce import dependency to ensure the quality of the finished agro-chemicals.
Moreover, he has emphasized the importance of the agriculture sector in the economy saying, ‘the farm sector is the backbone of our country’. Highlighting the growth in the agriculture sector since independence, he said that India has become self-sufficient in foodgrain production. However, he noted that there is need to reduce the expenditure and capital cost and enhance the productivity. He added that there is a need for high-yielding seed varieties to boost crop yields and production.
Also, he noted that around 30 per cent of population migrated to urban cities from rural India since independence. He pointed out that if the agriculture sector remains economically viable and there are enough employment opportunities at village level, there would be no migration to urban cities. Further, he highlighted that the agro-chemicals sector is growing at a rapid pace and India has become the third largest exporter of agro-chemicals. Meanwhile, about introduction of genetically modified seeds, he stressed on the need to have unanimity on this issue among all stakeholders.
