Top 10 Takeaways From Nirmala Sitharaman's Announcements For Farmers

A fund worth Rs 1 lakh crore will be set up "immediately" to strengthen farm-gate infrastructure and aggregators like Farmers' Producers Organisation, agricultural entrepreneurs and primary agriculture cooperative societies. The Finance Minister said investment in long-term agri infrastructure had been lacking and this fund would aid development of "financially viable post-harvest management and infrastructure".

A law will be implemented to bring about agriculture marketing reforms to help farmers access adequate choices to sell their produce at attractive prices, remove barriers to inter-state trade and encourage e-trading. These reforms will remove issues related to free flow of produce between different states as envisaged by the "one nation, one market" policy. Farmers are currently bound to sell produce only to licensees in the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC),

The government will also amend the Essential Commodities Act to enable farmers to realise better prices for their produce. Agricultural food items, like cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions and potatoes, will be deregulated, with stock limits to be imposed in "very exceptional circumstances" only.

Rs 500 crores will be set aside for vegetable and fruit supply chains disrupted by the coronavirus lockdown. Earlier, this scheme had been intended for tomatoes, onions and potatoes, but will now include all fruits and vegetables. Key features include 50 per cent subsidy on transport from surplus to deficient markets and an equal subsidy for storage facilities. This will be a six-month pilot project to be expanded on evaluation.

A scheme worth Rs 10,000 crore for formalisation of Micro Food Enterprises (MFE) was announced. Unorganised MFEs need technical upgradation to attain food safety standards and build their brands, Ms Sitharaman said, adding that this will help two lakh units reach their goals. The scheme will follow a cluster-based approach, with expected outcomes to include improved health and safety standards and increased incomes.

Rs 20,000 crores will be made available for fishermen through the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana. Rs 11,000 crore is for activities in inland and marine fisheries and aquaculture. Rs 9,000 crore is for development of harbours, markets and cold chain management. This will lead to additional fish production of around 70 lakh tonnes over the next five years, while also employing more than 55 lakh people, the government said.

The National Animal Disease Control Programme has been launched with an outlay of Rs 13,343 crores for 100 per cent vaccination of cattle, buffalo, sheep, and goat and pig populations against foot and mouth disease (FMD) and brucellosis. There are around 53 crore domestic animals, the government said.

An Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund worth Rs 15,000 crore will be set up to support private investment in dairy processing and manufacture of cattle feed.

Rs 4,000 crore has been set aside for herbal cultivation. The National Medicinal Plants Board has supported cultivation of medicinal plants in 2.25 lakh hectares, with a total of 10,00,000 hectares to be covered by 2022; this will include 800 hectares along the Ganga. This will lead to Rs 5,000 crore in income for farmers, the government said.

Rs 500 crores have been set aside for beekeeping initiatives. The scheme will cater to infrastructure related to beekeeping development centres and the collection, storage and marketing of produce. This will lead to increased income for around two lakh beekeepers and improved quality of honey, the Finance Minister said.