The agriculture industry in India has been segregated into 17 major sectors, including farming, agriculture equipment, fertilizers, pesticides, warehousing, cold chain, food processing, dairy market, floriculture, apiculture, sericulture, seeds, fisheries, poultry, animal husbandry, animal feed, and bio-agriculture.
- India is one of the major players in the agriculture sector worldwide and it is the primary source of livelihood for ~55% of India’s population. India has the world's largest cattle herd (buffaloes), largest area planted to wheat, rice, and cotton, and is the largest producer of milk, pulses, and spices in the world. It is the second-largest producer of fruit, vegetables, tea, farmed fish, cotton, sugarcane, wheat, rice, cotton and sugar.
- The Indian food industry is poised for huge growth due to its immense potential for value addition. The Indian food processing industry accounts for 32% of the country’s total food market and is one of the largest industries in India. It is ranked fifth in terms of production, consumption, export and expected growth.
- According to Inc42, the Indian agricultural sector is predicted to increase to US$ 24 billion by 2025. The Indian food and grocery market is the world’s sixth largest with retail contributing 70% of the sales.
- In terms of exports, the sector has seen good growth in the past year. In FY22 Exports of marine products stood at US$ 7.77 billion. Exports of rice (Basmati and Non-Basmati) stood at US$ 6.98 billion. Buffalo meat exports stood at US$ 3.30 billion. Sugar exports stood at US$ 4.60 billion. Tea exports stood at US$ 750.93 million. Coffee exports stood at US$ 1,020.80 million.
In conclusion, the agriculture industry in India is a major player in the global agriculture sector and is a primary source of livelihood for a large portion of India's population. The industry is diverse and includes a wide range of sectors such as farming and food processing. The Indian food industry is poised for growth due to its potential for value addition and the country's agricultural exports have seen good growth in recent years.