Farmers look to Budget 2026-27 for relief and guarantees

New Delhi, Jan 31: As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman prepares to present her ninth consecutive budget on Sunday, February 1, farmers nationwide hope for expanded subsidies, stronger Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantees, improved credit access, modernization investments, and climate resilience measures.

The Finance Minister has consistently emphasized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to four key groups: the economically disadvantaged, women, youth, and food producers.

India supports its farming community through budgetary allocations, targeted programs, and policy reforms. Agricultural funding has grown steadily, with farmers benefiting from direct income transfers, crop insurance, subsidized inputs, and credit facilities.

The Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (DA&FW) budget has increased from ₹21,933 crores in 2013–14 to ₹1.27 lakh crore in the 2025–26 estimates. Additional agricultural investments flow through other ministries, reflecting a comprehensive governmental approach covering irrigation, renewable energy, fertilizers, rural employment, and research.

Despite allocations doubling since 2018, agriculture’s proportion within overall public spending continues to decrease.

“Our demands for effective MSP implementation remain unchanged,” said P. Krishnaprasad, a farmer leader with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM). “Fertilizer subsidies are diminishing, irrigation infrastructure requires upgrades, and crop loss compensation remains inadequate despite the PM Fasal Bima Yojana.”

Krishnaprasad highlighted recent onion price disparities where farmers sold produce for as low as 50 paise per kilo while urban markets charged ₹35–50, stressing the need for profit guarantees instead of middleman benefits.

Contrastingly, the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) prioritizes market accessibility over uniform pricing. “Input costs vary regionally—a fixed MSP might benefit Odisha farmers but prove insufficient for Punjab counterparts,” explained BKS General Secretary Mohini Mohan Mishra.

The RSS-affiliated organization also advocates GST revisions on irrigation equipment, organic farming support, controlled pulse and oilseed imports, and diversification incentives for small farmers into animal husbandry or mushroom cultivation. They additionally seek increased funding for agricultural research and education.

While government initiatives like MSP, insurance, and subsidies exist, small-scale farmers (constituting 80% of agricultural workers) remain particularly vulnerable to economic and climate challenges.

Comprehensive policy reforms may prove more impactful than temporary relief measures as farmers await Sunday’s budget commitments.

–IANS