India can generate USD 813 bn in revenues from agri, food sector by 2030: Report

INTERNATIONAL DESK: With an investment of USD 272 billion in agritech and allied segments by 2030, India can generate USD 813 billion in revenue creating 152 million jobs, making it the largest private sector industry in the country, according to a report.

With agriculture continuing to remain the mainstay of economy for the country, investment in agritech and allied segments can transform the face of Indian agriculture with far-reaching implications for food security and sustainable farming solutions, according to a report, titled ‘Investing for Impact: Food, Agri and Agritech’, by Aspire Impact.

In the past decade, India attracted about USD 9 billion in FDI investments in the agriculture sector, said Amit Bhatia, founder of Aspire Circle and creator-Impact Future Project.

He added that this decade brings an opportunity for India Inc to take advantage of the massive untapped potential this sector holds and transform it to be sustainable and future-ready.

“With smart innovations, infrastructure and policy support and newer business models, the top-10 ideas researched by the IFP community can attract USD 272 billion in investments and generate USD 813 billion in revenue, impacting 1.1 billion lives,” he added.

The report has been authored by leading agritech experts, industry leaders, academics and thinkers.

The report further said India has its share of challenges when it comes to agricultural practices, including mechanisation levels, which is at 40-45 per cent unlike 90 per cent in the developed economies.

The country has been estimated to be at the biggest production risk with 68 per cent of the cultivation area being directly dependent upon the monsoon accounting for 40-45 per cent of total agriculture production it noted.

With a gap of 3.2 million tonnes in cold storage, the food processing industry incurred a loss worth USD 14 billion in 2018.

At the same time, the report stated that 55 per cent of the country’s forests are prone to fire with 70 per cent having no natural regeneration.

The demand for key food grains is expected to grow at an annual rate of 3 per cent against the projected population growth of 2 per cent further underlines the challenge that the country faces today.

To meet its dairy needs, India would require around 600 million tonnes of milk per year in 2060 and onwards, it said, adding that significant investments in the sector along with a policy push is needed to ensure transformation in agriculture practices and ecosystem.

With agritech start-ups and innovative models speculated to dominate the sector, India Inc has already started paving this path to change, it said. (PTI)