India’s exports from agriculture and allied sectors including processed food are poised to grow five-fold to Rs 20 lakh crore over the next few years, through increased processing, branding and better packaging, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said Wednesday.
Exports of agriculture and processed foods stood at $51.86 billion in FY25, or roughly Rs 4,40,000 crore.
He said that with the help of government initiatives, India’s agricultural export basket is expanding with new items such as litchi, pineapple, bottle gourd, and jamun—products which were not traditionally exported.
Jamun was recently exported to the UK, and litchis from Punjab were exported to Doha and Dubai. He added that India’s footprint in global markets such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf nations is steadily growing, the minister added.
He also highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s global push for millets through the International Year of Millets, which has brought global attention to India’s traditional grains and their nutritional value.
There is need to build a resilient supply chain across agriculture, from seeds to fertilisers, insecticides, pesticides, and equipment such as water pumps.
He said that India must be prepared for any global disruption in agricultural imports and ensure self-reliance across all aspects of farm inputs.
The Minister encouraged agriculture entrepreneurs to collaborate with farmers to realise this potential. He highlighted the recent creation of the Turmeric Board as a step towards boosting spice exports. He also noted that coffee exports have doubled in recent years, and while spice exports are growing, more focused efforts are needed to scale further.
The government is tightening certification norms for organic produce with the help of blockchain technology to ensure trust and traceability. The minister said that the government will also support better packaging and product design, so that India’s agricultural goods gain more visibility and competitiveness in the international market.