Vande Mataram spirit will drive India’s agritech revolution, says Shivraj Singh Chouhan at Agribusiness Summit 2025

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 8, 2025

“Let us honour Mother India through Vande Mataram and by empowering the farmer, the soul of our economy,” proclaimed Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan, setting an inspiring tone as the Agribusiness Summit 2025 opened in the capital on Tuesday. His powerful message framed the larger national mission of tripling India’s agricultural GDP through farmer-centric growth, technological innovation, and quality agri inputs.

The summit, centred on the theme “Tripling the Agricultural GDP by Using New Technology and Quality Agri Inputs,” brought together policymakers, industry leaders, innovators, and farming communities to explore advanced technologies, sustainable practices, and strategic interventions needed to transform India’s agricultural landscape.

Chouhan highlighted the remarkable strides made under the Modi government, noting a 44% increase in sugarcane production since 2014, development of 3,300 climate-resilient seeds, and an overall 36% rise in production fuelled by quality seeds, farm mechanization, and improved support systems. He underscored the importance of integrated farming models, especially for farmers with small and fragmented landholdings often below one hectare. Diversification into fisheries and cattle, value addition, and strict quality control in bio-inputs—reduced from 30,000 to 8,000 compliant producers—were identified as crucial enablers of the sector’s next leap. The Minister urged a balanced approach to fertilizer usage to prevent soil degradation, ensuring long-term sustainability and prosperity for future generations.

NITI Aayog Member Dr. Ramesh Chand echoed the urgency of boosting both utpadan (production) and utpadakta (productivity), stressing that India’s deep agricultural engagement must translate into higher output per acre. Drawing parallels with China’s $5 trillion economy, he said Chinese farmers function like gardeners and land scientists, adopting meticulous, innovation-driven systems that maximize yield. India, he emphasized, can emulate such precision and discipline, particularly in fertilizer management, to strengthen its agricultural performance and elevate farmer incomes.

PHDCCI Agribusiness Committee Chair Dr. R G Agarwal lauded the resilience and contribution of Indian farmers, stating that while they have always delivered for the nation, the time has come for the nation to deliver back—through world-class technologies, knowledge transfer, and strong institutional support. He said the summit represents a unified national commitment to empowering annadatas and securing India’s agricultural future.

Dhanuka Agritech Limited Managing Director Rahul Dhanuka highlighted India’s position as the lowest user of crop protection medicines globally, according to FAO data, noting that usage has further declined in recent years. While misuse in some regions remains a challenge, he advocated for robust public-private partnerships to drive responsible and productive deployment of agrochemicals and fertilizers. Thanking the Minister for his presence, he said the Vande Mataram spirit will continue to energize national progress.

PHDCCI CEO and Secretary General Dr. Ranjeet Mehta shed light on the transformative momentum reshaping India’s agribusiness landscape. He cited the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana’s target of 1.7 crore beneficiaries, the wide reach of 15,000 natural farming clusters across 7.5 lakh hectares, and the Digital Agriculture Mission’s ₹2,817 crore investment as monumental steps toward a tech-driven revolution. With 38,000 MAITRIs, AI Centres of Excellence, predictive analytics, and precision advisories taking root, he said farmers are gaining unprecedented access to advanced tools and knowledge. He also pointed to the emergence of 10,000 Bio-Input Resource Centres and the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme as key drivers of income diversification for rural communities.

The inaugural session concluded on an optimistic note, reaffirming the collective resolve to accelerate innovation, encourage technology adoption, and deploy high-quality agri inputs to build a future-ready farming ecosystem. With strong public-private partnerships and a shared vision of sustainability and prosperity, the summit set the foundation for a transformative roadmap that promises to uplift farmers, strengthen agribusiness, and propel India toward the goal of tripling its agricultural GDP.