Gyanendra Shukla, India Region Lead, Monsanto

The Finance Minister has, laudably, called for a technology-driven second Green Revolution focused on nutrition security. Better seeds and agronomic technology, supported by effective extension services and backed up by a strong academic and effective supply chain framework can herald the much required transformation for India’s agricultural sector.

The Government has attempted to address all these facets in a holistic manner. The focus on strengthening irrigation and warehousing is critical and has been given due importance. Access to credit at low rates will ensure that farmers can invest in the best inputs.

The creation of soil health cards will enable farmers to make informed decisions about their crop. A price volatility fund as well as a fillip to farmer markets will enable farmers to get better remunerations and help address inflation.

The increasing commitment being shown towards research and the creation of a national adaptation fund will help put in place the necessary building blocks for sustainable agriculture. The creation of biotechnology clusters will further spur research and development in cutting-edge technology. The Government has balanced out the immediate needs of farmers in terms of financial support and knowledge development, while focussing on the future by enhancing the agricultural supply chain.

Rajesh Aggarwal, MD, Insecticides India Ltd

The government has acknowledged the need for investment in agro-technology by allocating Rs. 100 crore for research and development. The modern technological advancements have not penetrated the entire farming population. We hope that the reach of agriculture technology increases over the next few years. We hope this also includes focus in improving irrigation facilities to reduce our dependence on rainfall.

The most positive step is the allocation of Rs. 5,000 crore for scientific warehousing. Lack of storage capabilities is the most glaring lacunae persisting in our agriculture sector. MK Dhanuka, Managing Director, Dhanuka Agritech Ltd

“The announcement of the launch of Kisan TV in the Union Budget is a welcome step which will help farmers to adopt new technology and get information on real-time basis. Due to deficit rain this year, the farmers will be facing a financial crisis. With the allocation of Rs. 8 lakh crore for agriculture credit and also measures to strengthen the supply chain would help reduce the farmers stress and help them get better prices.

Along with this, the allocation of Rs. 5,000 crore for creating scientific warehousing facilities will help farmers. However, the industry requests the Minister to reduce excise duty on plant protection agrochemicals that has not been considered till now.”