The government should in this year's Budget enhance cash assistance given to farmers under the PM-KISAN scheme from the current Rs 6,000 per year for purchase of crop inputs, provide tax incentives to agritech startups and cut import duties on agrochemicals, according to industry experts.
There is also need to announce some incentives to farmers as well as agrictech startups for faster adoption of technologies, like artificial intelligence, precision farming and drones, in Indian agriculture sector, they added.
Edible oil industry body SEA has demanded that a national mission should be launched to increase oilseeds production and reduce imports of cooking oils.
"There is urgent need to launch the 'National Mission on Edible Oils' with adequate financial support to boost the oilseeds production," Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA) President Ajay Jhunjhunwala said. Currently, India is importing about 140 lakh tonnes of edible oils annually. The mission needs to be implemented with an outlay of Rs 25,000 crore annually for the next five years to sizably reduce our dependence on imported edible oils to 30-40 per cent of consumption by 2026 from the current level of 65 per cent, he said.
Agrochemical firm Dhanuka Group Chairman R G Agarwal said farmers should be given more amount under the PM-KISAN programme so that they can buy adequate quantity of crop inputs like seeds, fertilisers and pesticides.
Under the PM-KISAN, the Centre pays Rs 6,000 per year in three equal instalments. The scheme, launched in February 2019, was made applicable from December 2018.
Agarwal also demanded some incentives for promoting R&D activities and extension services in the farm sector.
K C Ravi, Chief Sustainability Officer, Syngenta India, said the input cost in the farm sector has risen.
"An enhanced outlay for PM-KISAN will also ensure farmers get more liquidity to buy inputs," he added. Deepak Bhardwaj, co-founder and director of agri-drone maker IoTechWorld Avigation, said the government should set aside some fund from the Rs 1 lakh crore Agriculture Infrastructure Fund for the purchase of drones.
