Agriculture Companies in India: 2026 Sector Data and Sourcing Guide

The agriculture sector in India

OneFirmIntel lists 589,699 active agriculture companies in India: 199,461 Established firms (★★), 390,184 newer Active firms (★), and 54 Listed companies (★★★), with 23,450 inactive records on file. The large share of newer Active firms reflects a sector that is formalising and diversifying, from traditional farming and trading into agri-inputs, food processing, horticulture and export-oriented businesses.

The scale is national. Agriculture and allied activities employed about 46.1 percent of India's workers in 2023-24, according to Periodic Labour Force Survey data cited in Parliament, and contributed roughly 16 percent of GDP, or close to 18 percent of gross value added, per the Economic Survey 2024-25. The sector grew an estimated 3.8 percent in real terms in 2024-25, recovering from a weaker 1.4 percent the previous year when an erratic monsoon hit output.

Trade context: exports, deals and recent news

India's agricultural and allied exports reached about US$51.9 billion in 2024-25, up 6.47 percent year on year, according to the Union Ministry of Commerce. That made agriculture and allied products close to 12 percent of India's total exports for the year. The basket spans rice, spices, marine products, dairy, fruit and vegetables, and processed foods.

Trade agreements are reshaping access for Indian agri exporters. The India-UAE CEPA, in force since May 2022, gives Indian agricultural products near-immediate duty-free access to the UAE. The India-Australia ECTA, in force since December 2022, opened the Australian market while India protected sensitive crops such as wheat, rice and sugar. The India-EFTA TEPA was signed in March 2024 and entered into force on 1 October 2025, improving access for products such as guar gum, basmati rice and grapes to Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Most significant for agriculture, the India-UK CETA was signed on 24 July 2025, with the UK committing to zero tariffs on around 95 percent of agricultural product lines, while India kept defensive exclusions on dairy, apples and edible oils.

Recent developments matter for sourcing. India fully lifted its non-basmati white rice export restrictions by March 2025, and rice exports for 2024-25 reached roughly US$12.5 billion. Spices exports hit a record of about US$4.72 billion in 2024-25, according to the Spices Board, and marine products reached about US$7.45 billion, according to MPEDA. The clear trend is one of loosening export controls and record shipments across several categories.

Clusters and sub-sectors

Production concentrates in the northern and central plains. Uttar Pradesh is the largest foodgrain producer, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, with the fertile, irrigated belt across UP, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan dominating grain output. West Bengal, UP and Punjab lead in rice, while Madhya Pradesh leads in pulses. You can explore the registered company base by region through the India agriculture company directory.

By sub-segment, the sector splits into food grains, horticulture, livestock and dairy, fisheries and marine, spices, and plantation crops such as tea and coffee. Livestock and fisheries have been growing as a share of agricultural gross value added, which is reflected in a rising number of registered processing and export firms in those categories.

Using the data to source and verify

With nearly 590,000 active companies, filtering is essential. Use the Established (★★) tier, almost 200,000 firms, when you want suppliers with a longer registry history, which suits bulk procurement, export contracts and recurring supply relationships. Use the Active (★) tier to find newer specialists, for example a regional horticulture exporter or an agri-input startup. The Listed (★★★) tier, 54 companies, captures the larger publicly traded agribusinesses and is a useful anchor when you want scale and disclosure.

Register data confirms that a company exists, where it is based, and how established it is. It does not certify food safety, organic status, or export compliance, all of which require their own certificates. Treat the directory as your sourcing and verification layer: build a shortlist, then ask for APEDA or MPEDA registration, phytosanitary certificates and quality documentation as appropriate. Start in the India agriculture directory or run a focused query in company search.

Cross-border and practical notes

Indian companies are identified by a CIN, the corporate identity number, for incorporated entities, and most exporters hold an IEC, the importer-exporter code issued by the DGFT, which is essential for cross-border trade. For agri exports, APEDA registration covers most processed and horticultural products, MPEDA covers marine products, and the Spices Board covers spices, so confirm the relevant registration for your product. English is widely used in Indian trade documentation, which lowers the language barrier for international buyers. For the wider market picture, see the India company statistics and the broader agriculture industry overview.