Agriculture supports nearly half of India's workforce, so lifting farm output and incomes has been a steady priority. Total foodgrain production rose from about 265 million tonnes in 2014 to a record ~358 million tonnes in 2024-25, with rice (~150 MT) and wheat (~118 MT) both at record levels. Horticulture output climbed past foodgrains, and the agriculture budget grew several-fold over the decade.
Agriculture & Farmers
Agriculture & Farmers
Agriculture is India's largest source of livelihood, supporting nearly half the workforce. Over the past decade, total foodgrain production climbed to record highs — from about 265 million tonnes in 2014 to roughly 358 million tonnes in 2024-25 — with rice and wheat both hitting records. Income-support schemes like PM-KISAN and crop insurance were layered on top. The counter shows total foodgrain production.
265 → 358 MT
Foodgrain production
~11 crore
PM-KISAN farmers
~$53 bn
Agri exports
Foodgrain production
| Year | Foodgrain production |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 265 MT |
| 2015 | 252 MT |
| 2016 | 275 MT |
| 2017 | 285 MT |
| 2018 | 285 MT |
| 2019 | 297 MT |
| 2020 | 310 MT |
| 2021 | 315 MT |
| 2022 | 316 MT |
| 2023 | 330 MT |
| 2024 | 332 MT |
| 2025 | 358 MT |
2014
0MT
Foodgrain production
20142025
Since 2014
Added
+93 MT
2014
265 MT
2025
358 MT
Why it matters Farm output shapes food security, rural incomes and inflation, and nearly half of all Indians still depend on agriculture for a living.
- Foodgrain production: ~265 MT (2014) → ~358 MT (2025 record)
- PM-KISAN: ~₹6,000/year to ~11 crore farmers
- Source: Ministry of Agriculture
History
Notable programmes
PM-KISAN puts ₹6,000 a year directly into the accounts of about 11 crore farmers. PM Fasal Bima Yojana offers subsidised crop insurance, the soil health card and e-NAM online market aim to raise productivity and prices, and India's agricultural exports reached roughly $53 billion. Minimum Support Price procurement was expanded across more crops.
How it works
Indian farming is dominated by small and marginal farmers — most hold under two hectares — growing crops across three seasons (Kharif, Rabi, Zaid). The state supports them through a web of tools: guaranteed Minimum Support Prices and procurement for key crops, direct income transfers via PM-KISAN, cheap credit through the Kisan Credit Card, and crop insurance. Farmer Producer Organisations pool smallholders so they can buy inputs and sell produce with more bargaining power.
Outlook
Output keeps hitting records — foodgrain production reached an all-time 357.73 million tonnes in 2024-25. The harder task ahead is incomes, not just output: helping small farmers earn more through better prices, higher-value crops and food processing, while making farming climate-resilient. New schemes like the ₹24,000-crore PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana target the 100 lowest-productivity districts to lift the farmers left behind.
The road ahead
The harder task ahead is incomes, not just output — steadily raising and stabilising farm earnings, easing water stress from crops like rice and sugarcane, and improving storage and market access.
By the numbers
~265 → ~358 MT foodgrain (2014→2025 record). ~11 crore PM-KISAN beneficiaries. ~$53 bn agri exports. ~369 MT horticulture. Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, DA&FW.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture — total foodgrain production (million tonnes), 2014–2025.