Govt adopts crop-specific approach to boost high value agriculture

New Delhi, April 19 The Union Budget 2026-27 marked a strategic shift towards crop-specific and regionally aligned strategies for promoting high value agriculture in India, the government said on Sunday.

India's agricultural sector showed record growth in the last decade at 4.45 percent, an official statement said, adding that the country ranks second in the world in coconut production.

The coconut production sector supports the livelihoods of about 30 million people, including nearly 10 million farmers, the statement said.

India’s cashew exports stood at $369.17 million in 2024-25 and cocoa exports reached $295.58 million in the same year.

India's walnut exports were valued at $7.8 million in FY 2024-25, with key markets including the UAE, Turkey, Iraq, Singapore, Algeria, Qatar, Bhutan, Kuwait, Seychelles and Nigeria.

Targeted interventions have been proposed in the recent budget for coconut, sandalwood, cocoa, and cashew in coastal regions; agarwood cultivation in the North Eastern States; and premium nuts such as almonds, walnuts, and pine nuts in hilly areas.

Over the past decade, horticultural production has increased substantially from 277.35 million tonnes in 2013-14 to 370.74 million tonnes in 2024-25.

The country ranks second worldwide in the production of vegetables, fruits and potatoes. Fruits account for 9.18 percent and vegetables account for 8.18 percent of global production.

Further, India is the world’s largest producer of onions and shallots (dry excluding dehydrated), contributing close to 22.42 percent of global production.

As of January 2026, India has around 150 million agarwood trees, with nearly 90 percent located in the North Eastern states under plantation and agroforestry systems.

Tamil Nadu leads in overall coconut production, while Andhra Pradesh records the highest productivity, followed by West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

These regional variations highlight the diverse production strengths across India’s coconut-growing states, the statement noted.

Beyond primary production, the coconut sector has emerged as an increasingly important contributor to agricultural exports, in line with the government’s vision of achieving $2 trillion in exports by 2030 and $21 trillion by 2047.

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