- Prime Minister Modi urged farmers to expand chemical-free cultivation for exports
- He outlined a seven-point reform framework called ‘Sapta Dhara’ for India’s growth
- Agriculture, manufacturing, tech, logistics, defence, green economy, and soft power are key
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged farmers to expand chemical-free cultivation, saying rising global demand for such produce could help India strengthen its agricultural exports.
Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day, Modi outlined a seven-point reform framework, ‘Sapta Dhara', to accelerate India's journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.
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Agriculture and food production form one of the key pillars of the framework, alongside manufacturing, technology and innovation, logistics, defence, the green and blue economy, and soft power.
Modi stressed the need to move beyond farm production and strengthen food processing and exports.
He said free trade agreements have opened access to large international markets, creating an opportunity for Indian farmers to connect directly with global demand. “We must move from the farm to the export market,” Modi said.
India's foodgrain production has risen sharply over the past decade. According to the data cited in the report, output increased from 265.05 million tonnes in 2013-14 to 376.56 million tonnes in 2025-26.
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Horticulture production also grew from 280.70 million tonnes in 2013-14 to 377.78 million tonnes in 2025-26, underscoring the expanding scale of India's agricultural sector.
The prime minister highlighted India's diverse traditional cuisine and its strength in millets, spices, fruits and flowers, saying these products have the potential to become globally recognised brands. He urged farmers to give greater impetus to chemical-free farming, noting that demand for such products is expected to rise worldwide.
Meeting global quality and safety standards, he said, would help Indian agricultural products enter international markets more easily.
(With PTI inputs)
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