The agriculture sector is the largest source of livelihood in India. The country is one of the largest producers of agriculture and food products in the world. In 2022-23, India’s agriculture sector growth rate was estimated to be at 3.5% and it was 3.0% in 2021-22. The gross value added (GVA) in agriculture and allied activities grew a targeted 4% for 2022-23. The country produces many crops and food grains such as rice, wheat, pulses, oilseeds, coffee, jute, sugarcane, tea, tobacco, groundnuts, dairy products, fruits, etc.
During 2021-22, India’s tea production stood at 1,344.40 million kg. Coffee production during the same period was 3,420 lakh tonnes, a 2.39% YoY increase. Tea production during April-August 2023 stood at 691.44 million kg. During 2021-22, oilseeds production in India crossed the estimated 37.15 million tonnes while other products such as rice, wheat, maize, pulses, mustard, and sugarcane reached a record high production.
The top crop-producing states in India are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh. Most of the wheat produced in the country comes from Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Gujarat. Uttar Pradesh is the largest producer of sugarcane in India contributing about 48%, followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka at 23% and 9% of the total production respectively.