Traditional media continues to dominate the advertising playbook of India’s agriculture sector, with print media capturing 66% of total ad spends in 2024, according to a new report by Excellent Publicity. The report is based on campaign data across TV, radio, digital, and print, and includes insights supported by TAM Media Research.
Print: Still the King
Print emerged as the most preferred medium, especially among brands targeting rural and semi-urban markets. The North Zone led print spending, contributing 35.7% of the total, with Dainik Bhaskar and Eenadu dominating regional ad spaces. Nearly 74% of print ads were placed on front pages, and 99% were in colour.
IFFCO led the category with a 65.6% share of print ad spends, followed by Veda Seed Science and Basant Agro Tech.
TV: Down but Not Out
Television ad spends declined by 53% compared to 2022. However, the medium remained relevant, driven by strong presence on news channels, which captured 80% of the spend, and during prime time hours between six in the evening and eleven at night. Insecticide brands led TV advertising with a 16.2% share.
Actor Ajay Devgn emerged as the most featured celebrity, with his campaigns making up 12% of total TV ad durations.
Digital: Growing with Focus
Digital ad spends increased by 18%, with Facebook accounting for 60.6% of the total budget, followed by X.com. Display ads made up 95.4% of the digital ad formats, while video ads accounted for 4.6%. Jain Irrigation topped the list of digital advertisers.
More than 190 brands were exclusively active on digital platforms, indicating a gradual shift toward precision targeting and digital-first strategies in the agri sector.
Radio: Regional and Cost-Effective
Radio saw a 38% rise in ad spends between 2023 and 2024. Tirth Agro Technology led radio advertising with a 30% share during the year. The West Zone contributed the highest share to radio spends, and My FM emerged as the most preferred radio network.
Seasonality Drives Ad Spends
Advertising activity in the agri sector peaked in sync with farming and harvesting cycles. TV campaigns were most active from May to November, print campaigns saw a spike between October and December, radio ad activity was highest from January to March, while digital campaigns peaked from June to August.
“The agriculture and farming sector continues to show a strong preference for traditional mediums, particularly print, which offers unparalleled reach in rural and semi-urban India. However, we are seeing growing digital adoption, especially for precision targeting and building direct engagement with the new-age farming community.”, Vaishal Dalal, Co-founder & Director, Excellent Publicity.
