Agriculture is the backbone of rural India and a critical component of the national economy. Historically transformed by the Green Revolution in the 1960s—which introduced high-yielding varieties of seeds and modern fertilizers—India is now largely self-sufficient in food production.
India is the world's largest producer of milk, pulses, jute, and spices, and holds the second-largest agricultural land area in the world. It is the second-largest producer of rice, wheat, cotton, sugarcane, farmed fish, sheep and goat meat, fruit, vegetables, and tea.
Recent trends in Indian agriculture include a push towards organic farming (with the state of Sikkim being 100% organic), modernization of supply chains, and improved irrigation techniques. However, the sector still faces challenges such as fragmented land holdings, reliance on monsoon rains, and the need for better post-harvest infrastructure.
