New Delhi [India], December 8 (ANI): Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, called upon the nation to honour farmers as the 'soul of the economy.' He said that under the Modi government, agriculture had seen strong progress; sugarcane production has grown by 44 per cent since 2014, and 3,300 climate-resilient seed varieties have been developed.

The Agribusiness Summit 2025, with the focus on 'Tripling the Agricultural GDP by Using New Technology and Quality Agri Inputs,' marks a crucial step toward making farmers the center of India's economic growth.

Chouhan added that India's overall production had increased by 36 per cent due to better seeds, mechanisation, and support schemes such as MSP with shared price deficiency payments. He urged balanced fertiliser use, noting that excessive use harms soil health.

'The spirit of Vande Mataram should guide us to respect Mother India and the farmers who feed her,' he said, stressing that small farmers with less than one hectare must adopt integrated farming and value addition to ensure future prosperity.

Ramesh Chand, Member of NITI Aayog, explained that both higher production and higher productivity were needed to strengthen India's agriculture. Comparing India with China, he said Chinese farmers act like 'gardeners and innovators' who get more from less land through precision and management. He pointed out that India could learn from their efficiency in fertiliser use to boost yields while protecting the environment.

R G Agarwal, Chair of the Agribusiness Committee at PHDCCI, said, 'India's farmers have always delivered for the nation. Now, it is time we deliver for them.' He emphasised that access to better technology, knowledge, and support systems was key to raising farmers' incomes.

Rahul Dhanuka, Managing Director of Dhanuka Agritech Limited, observed that India uses the least amount of agricultural medicine in the world, though misuse persists in some regions. He called for public-private partnerships to promote responsible use and thanked the Minister for inspiring the gathering.

Ranjeet Mehta, CEO and Secretary General of PHDCCI, highlighted that schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana and the Digital Agriculture Mission are transforming the rural landscape. He said over 1.7 crore beneficiaries and 15,000 natural farming clusters covering 7.5 lakh hectares are already changing how farming is done. 'When 10,000 Bio-Input Resource Centres support farmers, and the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme adds new income, the dream of tripling agricultural GDP is not far,' he said.

The summit opened on Monday at the Taj Palace, New Delhi, setting a clear goal to triple India's agricultural GDP through technology and quality inputs.

The event brought together government leaders, industry experts, innovators, and farmers to discuss how modern tools and integrated farming can shape a new era of agricultural productivity and sustainability. (ANI)