Farmers should not restrict themselves only to rice and wheat: PM Modi

Karam Prakash

New Delhi, February 23

PM Narendra Modi on Friday said farmers should not restrict themselves only to cultivation of rice and wheat.

While addressing the second post-budget webinar on agriculture, the PM said India had to spend around Rs 2 lakh crore—including 1.5 lakh crore on edible oils—to import agriculture products in 2020-21.

He said India had to spend around Rs 17,000 crore on importing pulses (which could be produced in India).

“This money will go into the pockets of Indian farmers if we become self-sufficient in agriculture production. Only for these few products, around Rs 2 lakh crore went outside the country,” Modi said while addressing the stakeholders of agriculture.

He said, “In 2014, the agriculture budget was less than Rs 25,000 crore. Today, it has increased to more than Rs 1.25 lakh crore.”