Agri sector remains rooted in print ads as digital sprouts

Among the top print advertisers, Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) maintained its leadership with a 65.6 per cent share of print ad spends
| Photo Credit:
PTI

Print media is the preferred choice of the agriculture sector, which spent 66 per cent of its total advertisement spend on print in 2024, according to a report by the ad-tech agency Excellent Publicity. It focussed on key advertising trends in agriculture and farming sector in its report.

A media statement said that print media remained the sector’s preferred choice, commanding a dominant 66 per cent of total ad spend in 2024, reflecting a significant increase from the previous year. The North Zone emerged as the top spender, contributing 35.7 per cent of total print ad spends, followed closely by the South Zone at 30.8 per cent.

Among the top print advertisers, Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) maintained its leadership with a 65.6 per cent share of print ad spends, followed by players like Veda Seed Science and Basant Agro Tech. Notably, 99.4 per cent of print ads were in colour, with 74.3 per cent of ads occupying the premium front-page slots, it said.

Drawing insights from over 900 television, 750 radio, 12,000 digital, and 26,500 print media campaigns executed by the agency, along with comprehensive data from TAM Media Research Pvt Ltd, the report sheds light on how agri-based brands and companies have navigated various media platforms to connect with farmers and rural markets across India, the statement said.

Digital growing

Digital advertising grew by 18 per cent in 2024 over 2022, with Jain Irrigation System leading digital spends. Facebook.com captured 60.6 per cent of total digital ad spends, followed by X.com at 28 per cent.

Display ads were the preferred format, making up 95.4 per cent of total digital ad volumes, while video ads held a smaller share at 4.6 per cent, indicating that while video is gaining interest, static creatives still dominate in the sector. The digital space saw over 190 advertisers exclusively active in 2024, showcasing the increasing interest in digital-first strategies among agriculture brands.

Television spends dip

Television advertising saw a 53 per cent decline in ad spends in 2024 compared to 2022, but insecticides brands gained significant traction, rising to the top spot with a 16.2 per cent share. News channels dominated television preferences, accounting for 80.4 per cent of total ad spends, followed by general entertainment channels. Prime time (6 pm to 11 pm) remained the most utilised time slot.

It said that the film actor Ajay Devgan emerged as the most visible celebrity in the sector, with celebrity-endorsed ads contributing nearly 12 per cent of total TV ad durations.

Radio gets louder

The sector witnessed a 38 per cent rise in ad spends on radio in 2023 compared to 2022. Tirth Agro Technology captured 30 per cent of total radio ad spends in 2024 and a 71.7 per cent share during Jan-Mar 2025. The West Zone was the largest contributor to radio ad spends, accounting for 59.1 per cent. Radio maintained its relevance with its regional penetration and cost efficiency, especially among rural and tier-2 audiences.

Quoting Vaishal Dalal, Co-founder and Director of Excellent Publicity, the statement said 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. The integration of digital with traditional advertising will likely shape the sector’s future media strategies,” he said.

Television advertisements peaked from May to November, print from October to December, radio from January to March, digital from June to August. This trend aligned with agricultural cycles like sowing, harvesting, and seasonal buying patterns, the statement said. The sector’s advertising footprint remained strong across all days of the week and across all four platforms.

Published on July 31, 2025

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