7.3 Sectors in India that make up India Bioeconomy
After expanding to become the fifth largest economy in the world, the nation’s GDP reached $3.5 trillion in 2022. The specific GDP of India’s bio-economy is not readily available as it is often challenging to isolate and measure the economic contributions of various bio-based sectors accurately. The bio-economy’s contribution to India’s GDP is embedded within the sectors mentioned above and are briefly examined below.
Agriculture:
India has a sizable agricultural sector that produces crops, cattle, and other related goods and services that greatly contribute to the bioeconomy. With approximately 60% of the workforce employed in India’s agriculture sector, there is much room for growth. About $10.48 billion went towards the nation’s bioeconomy in 2021 thanks to the contributions of biotiny cotton, biopesticides, biostimulants, and biofertilizers. At current prices, the gross value added (GVA) of agriculture and related sectors makes up 18.3% of the GDP of the entire economy.
Forestry:
The bioeconomy depends heavily on the forestry industry, which produces non-timber forest products, timber, and aids in the preservation of biodiversity. Forest resources, which make up about 2.9% of the nation’s total net domestic product, are responsible for all the direct benefits. The nation’s forests also support approximately 179 million cattle, 58 million buffaloes, and 120 million other animals.
Fishery:
Both marine and inland fisheries are a part of the fisheries sector, which supports the production of income and food security. Millions of fishermen in India depend on the fishing industry for their livelihood, which is important to the country’s economy. India ranks third globally in terms of fish production and second globally in terms of aquaculture production. The production of fish and aquaculture accounts for about 1% of India’s GDP (gross domestic product).
Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology:
India produces pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and bio-based products from its booming biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. With roughly 3% of the global biotechnology market, India ranks among the top 3 countries in South Asia and the top 12 worldwide for biotechnology. Because of the growing enabling ecosystem and prioritization, the number of biotech startups in the country has increased from 50 to over 5,300 in the last ten years. India’s biotechnology sector is expected to reach $92 billion in 2023, up 15% from the previous year. (Differding, E., 2023).
Bioenergy and Biofuels:
Another crucial aspect of the bioeconomy is the generation of biofuels from waste and crops. Regarding sustainable biofuel, India has moved up the deadline for blending 20% ethanol from 2025 to 2023, and this biotech sub sector has grown by twice as much.