NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi on Friday emphasised the necessity of making Indian ag-riculture export-oriented and asked farmers to leverage the country’s diverse climate to increase productivity and strengthen export of farm produce.“We have a diverse climate, and we must take full advantage of it. We are very rich in terms of agro-climatic zones… If we collectively scale high-value produce, it can transform agriculture into a globally competitive sector,” Modi said at a post-budget webinar on ‘Agriculture and Rural Transformation’.

Highlighting shifting global demand, he said the world was more conscious about health. “Natural farming and chemical-free farm products create a highway for us to reach the world’s markets. Govt is thi-nking about certification and laboratories,” the PM said.