AI Can Add ₹70,000 Cr to India’s Farm Economy: Jitendra Singh
Minister Says Agri-Startups, AI and Technology Will Drive Future of Indian Agriculture
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 8th July: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to add nearly ₹70,000 crore to India’s agricultural economy, stressing that agri-startups will be the driving force behind the next phase of the country’s farming revolution.
Addressing the 17th Agriculture Leadership Conclave 2026 in New Delhi, the Minister said India’s startup movement must increasingly emerge from farms, creating new opportunities for entrepreneurship, employment and wealth creation in the agriculture sector.
He said digital technologies, AI, satellite applications, drones and precision farming are transforming agriculture into a high-value growth sector. According to the Minister, AI-driven optimisation alone could help farmers save nearly ₹5,000 annually, significantly boosting productivity and resource efficiency.
Dr. Singh highlighted the success of the CSIR Aroma Mission, which led to the Purple Revolution through lavender cultivation in Jammu and Kashmir, creating thousands of rural entrepreneurs and expanding to several Himalayan and northeastern states.
He also called for stronger collaboration among government, research institutions, startups and industry to ensure scientific innovations reach farmers, while emphasising the need to use digital platforms and local languages to spread agricultural knowledge.
