Budget 2017 Wish list: Expectations from the agriculture sector
Union budget – Industry size: All Categories: $236 billion ( Rs 1,600,000 cr) Employment figure: 90 million person days Contribution to Gross Value Added (GVA): Agriculture contributes 15.4% of GVA
Key Issues or Areas of Concern Infrastructure development initiatives for post-harvest products are in its preliminary phase. Post-harvest losses account for Rs 92,651 cr. Instances of crop failure due to adverse climatic conditions is another major issue faced by the agricultural economy.
PMFBY (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana) has shown a good uptake from the farmers which minimises risk of crop failure through insurance but the overall loss still remains a big challenge. Large cultivable area still remains unirrigated, thereby limiting the per unit productivity of agricultural operations.
Industry demands Enhanced Public investment for creation of infrastructure for the development agriculture such as roads, markets, warehouses, etc. Improving the productivity and quality of agricultural produce to bring Indian farmers at par with the global standards.
Article Source – Business Standard