Piyush Goyal Applauds Farmers’ Role in Boosting Agricultural Production and Exports
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 16th Feb. Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Textiles, and Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal, expressed satisfaction at the significant increase in agricultural production and quality, enabling India to achieve self-sufficiency and surpass $50 billion in exports of agri-related products.
His remarks came during his address at the NAFED: Pulse 2024 Convention, organized by the Global Pulse Confederation in collaboration with the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED).
Goyal extended gratitude to the farmers of India for their pivotal role in elevating the country to become a major producer of food grains, pulses, lentils, vegetables, and fruits, thereby fostering both production expansion and enhanced quality.
He noted that this transformation has facilitated India’s emergence as an exporter of agri and related products, surpassing the $50 billion mark. Over the past decade, driven by the commitment and capabilities of farmers, pulses production has surged by 60%, from 171 lakh tonnes in 2014 to 270 lakh tonnes in 2024.
Highlighting the collaboration between NAFED and the Global Pulse Confederation (GPC), Shri Piyush Goyal emphasized the ongoing efforts to position pulses not only as India’s staple diet but also as a global wonder-diet.
Discussing the ‘Bharat Dal’ initiative, the Minister underscored the government’s commitment, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, to support farmers and ensure the availability of affordable pulses for Indian citizens.
He highlighted the success of government-procured chana dal, retailed under the ‘Bharat’ brand, capturing 25% of the lentil gram market share within four months of its launch.
Goyal emphasized the high-quality standards of Bharat Dal, as evidenced by positive customer reviews on various e-commerce platforms, indicating its potential to become a staple food for the common man. Additionally, he noted an 18-fold increase in government procurement of pulses over the past decade.
Addressing measures to ensure price stability, Shri Goyal discussed the introduction of buffer stock in 2015, which shielded consumers from food inflation. He highlighted India’s resilience against high inflation rates, maintaining moderate levels of 5-5.5% over the past decade.
Regarding Minimum Support Price (MSP), Shri Goyal reiterated the government’s commitment to providing farmers with a price 50% higher than the actual cost of production, resulting in attractive returns on investment.
He emphasized significant increases in MSP rates over the past decade, encouraging diversification into pulses and lentils.
In closing, Goyal emphasized India’s position as the largest producer and 5th largest exporter of millets globally, pledging similar attention to pulses and lentils. He urged industry leaders to offer suggestions and guidance to enhance productivity and foster growth in the pulse industry.
