2 decades of Gujarat: Agri sector maintains double-digit growth, logs rise in revenue

New Delhi: While the nation keeps hovering at single-digit growth in the agriculture sector, Gujarat has carved a name & distinction for itself. For past two decades, the state has been recording double-digit growth in the agri sector while the revenue has also multiplied, at least twice in past 2 decades.

Not just a leader in setting up industries & big production houses, the state also leaves its contemporary states behind, in the agriculture sector. No wonder, why it constantly draws investors’ attention for investments.

As per estimates, about 65% of Gujarat’s geographical area is cropped and the state maintains highest agriculture growth of over 10% CAGR.

Moreover, the state government has been an active facilitator in propping the farmers for better produce. From offering range of subsidies to increasing irrigation & facilitating market support for their produce, the state govt ‘s proactive role has played key role in farmers’ success story.

Glimpse of progress in 20 years

•The revenue through agriculture has increased from ₹9000 crore to ₹2,05,000 crore in the last two decades. The state government aims to increase the agriculture revenue beyond ₹2,93,000 crore for 2022-23.
•Gujarat has maintained a double-digit agriculture growth since the last two decades.
•State’s agriculture budget in 1994-95 was ₹398.34 crore. This has increased by 19 times in 2022-23 and reached ₹3737 crore.
•Farmers were provided credit on crops at 16% interest two decades ago. Today, farmers receive crop credit at zero interest
•Irrigation in 68.29 lakh hectares of land in 2022 against 37.96 lakh hectares of land in 2001, an increase of 30.33 lakh hectares in last 20 years
•A total of four agriculture universities have been established in the state in Anand, Navsari, Junagadh and Dantiwada, in the last 20 years
•Subsidy worth ₹5107.94 crore given to 61.82 lakh farmers through the i-Khedut portal.
• Assistance to affected cattle breeders increased from ₹3200 to ₹7000.
• Implementation of the ‘Kisan Suryoday Yojana’ for providing day time power supply to farmers.
• Compensation has been increased from 7.5% to 15% to farmers who allow transmission lines and transmission towers to be installed on their fields.
• Drone technology for spraying nano-fertilizers and insecticides: Allocation of ₹35 crore to encourage nearly 1.4 lakh farmers for the same.
• Assistance of ₹ 1000 lakh to farmers cultivating ‘Kamalam’ (Dragon fruit) and ₹650 lakhs under Comprehensive Horticulture Development.
• Assistance of ₹3,00,000 per hectare to farmers cultivating ‘Kamalam’ (Dragon fruit). Assistance of ₹4,50,000 for farmers of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes who cultivate ‘Kamalam’ (Dragon fruit).
• Increase in assistance under Mukhyamantri Paak Sangrah Structure Yojana from ₹50,000 to ₹75,000.
• Direct bank transfer worth ₹1149 crore to 57.48 lakh farmers of Gujarat under 10th instalment of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi