Don't depend on wheat, rice and sugarcane: PM Modi urges farmers to diversify crops

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged farmers not to remain dependent on traditional crops such as wheat, rice and sugarcane, saying diversification and allied agricultural activities were essential to improve their incomes and create new opportunities in the farming sector.

Addressing the India Today Group's Kisan Tak Bharat Agriculture Conference 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, PM Modi said agricultural policies and farming practices needed to evolve with changing markets, consumer preferences, weather patterns and technology.

He said previous governments had focused on filling the country's foodgrain stocks but had not paid enough attention to improving farmers' prosperity beyond foodgrain production.

"Filling foodgrain warehouses is not enough," the Prime Minister said, adding that farmers needed to be empowered to adapt to changing agricultural and market conditions.

PM Modi said India had taken steps over the past decade to keep pace with these changes. The country now exports agricultural products worth more than Rs 4 lakh crore annually, helping increase farmers' incomes, he said.

Highlighting India's position in global agricultural production, the Prime Minister said the country was the world's largest producer of milk, pulses and jute. India had also become the world's largest producer of rice and millets, he said.

India ranks second globally in wheat production, as well as in cotton, fruits, vegetables and fish production, PM Modi added.

"These are not just figures. They show the immense potential of India's farmers," he said.PM MODI HIGHLIGHTS GREEN, WHITE, BLUE AND SWEET REVOLUTIONS

PM Modi also spoke about the different agricultural revolutions that have helped expand India's production and create additional income opportunities for farmers.

He said the Green Revolution helped India move towards self-sufficiency in foodgrain production, while the White Revolution made the country the world's largest milk producer.

Citing figures from the past decade, the Prime Minister said India's milk production had increased by nearly 70 per cent, while egg production had grown by around 90 per cent.

Under the Blue Revolution, fish production had more than doubled in a decade, he said.

PM Modi also referred to the Sweet Revolution, which has created new opportunities in beekeeping. Honey production in India has increased from around 80,000 tonnes to 1.5 lakh tonnes, he said.HORTICULTURE PRODUCTION CROSSES 350 MILLION TONNES

The Prime Minister said India's horticulture production had increased from 280 million tonnes to more than 350 million tonnes.

He said these developments across different agricultural sectors were creating multiple sources of income for farmers.

"When we connect all these revolutions with a broader vision, multiple sources of income are created for the country's farmers. This is essential for the future of agriculture," PM Modi said.

The two-day Kisan Tak Bharat Agriculture Conference 2026, organised by the India Today Group under the theme Smart Kisan, Viksit Bharat, brought together more than 2,000 farmers, policymakers, industry representatives and global experts to discuss the future of Indian agriculture.- Ends