Allied agri activities are 'robust growth centres' to boost farm income

Agriculture and Food Management: Plenty of upside If we get it right, says the Economic Survey

The Economic Survey is projecting allied sectors of agriculture such as fisheries and livestock, among others to emerge as 'robust growth centres' having the potential to improve farm incomes.

The survey tabled before the Parliament a day before the Union Budget said timely, cost-effective, and adequate credit has been a priority for the Centre. The food processing sector has seen initiatives like Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) and a PLI scheme for the development of the sector, the document added.

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The farm sector has clocked an average annual growth rate of 4.18 per cent over the last five years, with provisional estimates for 2023-24 pegging the agri growth rate at 1.4 per cent.

Going forward, the Digital Agriculture Mission 2021–2025 intends to modernise farming via the use of AI, remote sensing and drones, the Economic Survey projects. A special effort for agri infrastructure is being pushed out to enhance food grain storage facilities, the Survey said, highlighting Rs 4,570 crore allocated as subsidy for storage infrastructure, and Rs 2,084 crore set to be further released as subsidy under Agriculture Marketing Infrastructure (AMI) scheme.

"Agriculture policies must be consistent with climate imperatives and water security", the Survey goes on to add. "Investment in technology, production methods, marketing infrastructure, and reduction in post-harvest losses need to be scaled up."

The Economic Survey said government's policies aim to improve the agri market infrastructure through E-NAM, FPOs, and allowing cooperatives in agri-marketing.