India is an agriculture-based economy, where 43% of its people remain employed in agricultural and allied activities. Agriculture along with other related fields like forestry and logging provides employment to 60% of India’s population. Agriculture accounts for almost 19% of the Gross Domestic Product and 9% of the total exports. India’s agro-climatic conditions and rich natural resource base sets prelude for doing very good on agriculture front. Today, India has become the world’s largest producer across a range of commodities, like coconut, mango, banana, milk & dairy products, cashew nuts, pulses, ginger, turmeric and black pepper. It is also the second largest producer of rice, wheat, sugar, cotton, fruits and vegetables. India needs to leverage the production capability for economic gains and being self sufficient to meet the domestic consumption.
With a view to promoting agriculture in the country and to fetch remunerative returns to the farming community in a sustained manner, the concept of the Agri Export Zones (AEZs) was floated. AEZs are to be identified by the State Governments evolving a comprehensive package of services provided by all State Government agencies, State agriculture universities and all institutions and agencies of the Union Government for intensive delivery in these Zones.
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