Repeal agri land ceiling laws to let farmers thrive economically: Assocham

The Linked Chambers of Commerce and Field (Assocham) has named for the repeal of agricultural land ceiling legal guidelines and make it possible for farmers to expand economically.

In its pre-Spending plan memorandum 2022-23, Assocham explained land ceiling legal guidelines may possibly have permitted for redistribution of land in the earlier but today, they were a barrier to the progress of farmers’ income.

“Successful farmers who possess land as for each the ceiling boundaries are unable to obtain far more land and enhance their income. Land ceiling legal guidelines avoid usual financial progress where effective producers can obtain far more usually means of manufacturing (land) to enhance their output. Land ceiling legal guidelines prohibit not only owning agricultural land but also leasing this kind of land,” the association explained.

Harmful moves

Expressing concern around the action taken by the Govt with respect to sure agricultural commodities futures trade, Assocham explained some of these actions may possibly have cooled the market but they would be harmful to the maturity of Indian commodity exchanges in the very long-term, in addition to their steadiness.

The chamber advisable the introduction of very long-term futures contracts in agricultural commodities with 12-month value visibility, enhance in delivery centres in manufacturing states, warehouse receipt financing and encouraging hedging.

Mooting demand from customers-pushed agriculture manufacturing, Assocham explained to advertise crop versions that are in demand from customers from the sector and shoppers, farmer selections ought to be aligned with client tendencies.

‘Make farming sustainable’

“Evolving client needs this kind of as good quality, health, nourishment, security, assortment and comfort offer a excellent possibility to diversify farm manufacturing to far more remunerative crops like veggies, fruits, nutri-cereals, pulses and derived solutions like milk and meat,” it explained.

The association also named for generating agriculture far more sustainable and local weather-resilient by endorsing site certain integrated/composite farming systems, soil dampness and conservation measures, effective water administration and bringing rain-fed agriculture to the mainstream.

It also named for expanding irrigation infrastructure by focusing on a mix of large irrigation assignments and localised water harvesting across irrigation deficient zones, in addition to micro-irrigation to produce far more crop for each drop.

Trying to find the encouragement of non-public participation in agriculture value-chain and infrastructure by policy help and incentives for gamers doing the job in strengthening the floor problem, it mooted a national grid for market intelligence and crop to deal with the problem of glut and scarcity.

“A extensive crop and market value analytics program can help in providing guidance to farmers primarily based on predicted market costs,” the association explained, seeding a uniform taxation policy for processed agricultural deliver this kind of as flour.

Sops for Indian fruits, pulps

Assocham named for polity incentives or tax gains for processing Indian fruits and pulps for domestic juice marketplaces. “This will help encourage domestic fruit processing and supply greater market linkages for process grades to farmers. Import obligation on fruit pulp ought to be amplified to advertise use of far more domestic fruit pulps,” it explained.

The association instructed endorsing a start off-up ecosystem in the farming room, market linkage, good quality testing and assurance and other nodes of value chain at aggressive value.

Assocham also named for reforms in agriculture education and learning and digitizing crop administration know-how that can be applied by all businesses in the agri extension room.

Seed manufacturing subsidy

Calling for a greater weighted deduction of two hundred for each cent for agricultural extension solutions underneath Part 35CCC of the Revenue Tax Act, the association explained non-public companies ought to also be permitted to distribute subsidised seeds, at present managed by State governments and the co-operative sector.

Assocham also explained subsidy is at present readily available to public sector companies engaged in seed manufacturing and this ought to be extended to non-public businesses much too to enhance the use of good quality seeds and farm efficiency.

Amid other troubles dealt with by Assocham were strengthening crop insurance coverage to contact far more farmers, policies to encourage crop diversification, encouraging superior income-creating choices this kind of as horticulture and animal husbandry and leveraging rural work plan MNREGA for farm labour.

The association also named for the marketing of farm mechanization, digitization of land records, encouraging precision farming and focusing on building Gen Future versions matching international yields.

It explained the Centre ought to supply subsidies or incentives for the use of superior yielding assortment seeds rather of elevating minimum help costs and take into consideration providing safe insecticide and pesticide at subsidised fees.

The association also sought the appointment of organised agri-enterprise businesses as just one of the implementing organizations for the plan to variety and advertise ten,000 farmer producer organisations. It also instructed the placing up of a “National Natural Mission” to grow natural and organic good quality testing infrastructure and incentivising farmers to shift to natural and organic farming.