Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in the third post-budget webinar that agriculture is a strategic pillar of India’s long-term development journey. There is a need to make it more competitive and export oriented.

The Prime Minister said that the government has so far distributed an amount of more than Rs 4 lakh crore to the farmers under the PM Kisan Yojana. He said that various schemes of the government have reduced the risks of farmers and provided them basic economic security. Modi said that it is necessary to make the agriculture sector export-oriented by taking advantage of India’s diverse climate. Along with this, emphasis should also be laid on promoting high value agriculture, strengthening the quality, branding and standards of agricultural products.

The Prime Minister also stressed the need to promote chemical-free and natural farming. He said that by strengthening such farming, special attention should be paid to increasing agricultural exports.