New Delhi, In a pre-budget consultation with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, farm organizations and experts on Friday advocated for greater investment in agricultural research, rationalization of fertilizer subsidies and infrastructure development to boost resilience of the sector against climate change.
In the two-and-a-half-hour meeting, stakeholders advocated a significant increase in the budget allocation for the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) from Rs 9,500 crore to Rs 20,000 crore.
Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture (ICFA) president MJ Khan emphasized the need for "massive investment in agricultural R&D" to drive growth in the sector and increase farmers' incomes.
The experts also called for consolidating all agriculture-related subsidies to transfer them through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and increasing the retail price of urea, which has remained unchanged since 2018. The promotion of biofertilizers and foliar fertilizers through subsidies was another key demand.
Bharat Krishak Samaj president Ajay Vir Jakhar suggested segregating agricultural funds between education and research.
He noted that even though the economic returns from agricultural research are ten times those of other investments, budget increases over the past two decades have lagged inflation rates.
Other notable suggestions included dissolving the MSP committee and commissioning a new agriculture policy for India and changing the ratio of funding for human resource development in centrally sponsored schemes from 60:40 to 90:10, with the central government taking up 90 per cent. cent of the cost. for five years.
Experts also suggested increasing the budget allocation for APEDA from Rs 80 million to Rs 800 million to boost agricultural exports, create district export centers and launch a National Goat and Sheep Mission.
The meeting was attended by former CACP chief and agricultural economist Ashok Gulati, agricultural journalist Harish Damodaran and representatives of National Agricultural Economics and Policy Research Institute and United Planters' Association of South India (UPASI).
As the government prepares for the upcoming budget, these recommendations highlight the pressing need for reforms and greater investment in the agricultural sector, particularly in light of the challenges of climate change and the goal of doubling farmers' incomes.
The Modi government will present its annual budget for 2024-25 next month.
In the two-and-a-half-hour meeting, stakeholders advocated a significant increase in the budget allocation for the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) from Rs 9,500 crore to Rs 20,000 crore.
Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture (ICFA) president MJ Khan emphasized the need for "massive investment in agricultural R&D" to drive growth in the sector and increase farmers' incomes.
The experts also called for consolidating all agriculture-related subsidies to transfer them through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and increasing the retail price of urea, which has remained unchanged since 2018. The promotion of biofertilizers and foliar fertilizers through subsidies was another key demand.
Bharat Krishak Samaj president Ajay Vir Jakhar suggested segregating agricultural funds between education and research.
He noted that even though the economic returns from agricultural research are ten times those of other investments, budget increases over the past two decades have lagged inflation rates.
Other notable suggestions included dissolving the MSP committee and commissioning a new agriculture policy for India and changing the ratio of funding for human resource development in centrally sponsored schemes from 60:40 to 90:10, with the central government taking up 90 per cent. cent of the cost. for five years.
Experts also suggested increasing the budget allocation for APEDA from Rs 80 million to Rs 800 million to boost agricultural exports, create district export centers and launch a National Goat and Sheep Mission.
The meeting was attended by former CACP chief and agricultural economist Ashok Gulati, agricultural journalist Harish Damodaran and representatives of National Agricultural Economics and Policy Research Institute and United Planters' Association of South India (UPASI).
As the government prepares for the upcoming budget, these recommendations highlight the pressing need for reforms and greater investment in the agricultural sector, particularly in light of the challenges of climate change and the goal of doubling farmers' incomes.
The Modi government will present its annual budget for 2024-25 next month.