Budget Fails to Address Agri Problems Highlighted by Economic Survey: Experts
Hyderabad: Many economists and farmer union leaders said that the allocations in the Union Budget did not factor in the crisis in agriculture that the Economic Survey had highlighted and also raised concerns over the Indian Council for Agricultural Research tying up with multinational companies in the area of seeds.
The Economic Survey had pointed out as per provisional estimates for 2023-24, the growth rate of the agriculture sector stood at 1.4 per cent, way below the 4.7 per cent in 2022-23, mainly because of a drop in foodgrain production due to delayed and poor monsoons caused by El Nino.
Sarampally Malla Reddy, All India Kisan Sabha state vice-president, said, “In order to increase the output, the government should increase subsidies to seeds and other inputs to farmers; intervene in the market and provide remunerative prices to farmers to give impetus to production.”
The PM Fasal Bima Yojana benefits only 3.12 crore farmers out of the 14.57 crore farmers of whom 9.4 crore on average face crop losses. Instead of allowing foreign agencies to gain control of seeds, the ICAR should be strengthened, he said.
Approximately, Rs 365.64 crore has been allocated for natural farming, but how much of it will be spent is doubtful, he said. The Rs 459 crore allocated in the 2023-24 Budget was revised to Rs 100 crore. Subsidy on chemical fertilisers had fallen from the actual allocation of Rs 2,51,340.48 crore in 2022-23 to Rs 1,64,102 crore currently.
Covering one crore farmers in just two years is a myth when the actual number of farmers under natural farming stood at 18,330, said Dr K. Suhasini, senior professor and head of agriculture economics, Prof. Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University. It should be prioritised in tribal areas; focus should be laid on sesamum, soyabean and groundnut in Telangana,
Prof. D. Narasimha Reddy noted that a series of MoUs were being signed by the ICAR with multinational corporations instead of funding the research body properly. “With wheat stocks falling we are on the brink of importing them. The country needs a blueprint to address the situation,” Prof. Reddy said.
Agri economist Prof. Aldas Janaiah, from Prof Jayashankar Agricultural State University, pointed out that allocations for agriculture had been decreasing for 10 years. He said agriculture research under ICAR was being weakened to benefit multinational companies. “They will monopolise the seeds industry and harm our food security.”
