26 DEC,Delhi: Unprecedented enhancement in budget allocation
The Budget allocation for Ministry of Agriculture & FW has been increased to Rs. 1,24,000 crore in 2022-23.
Record food grains and horticulture production
Food grain production has increased from 308.65 million tonnes in January 2022 to 315.72 million tonnes in December 2022 (as per 4th advance estimates) which is the highest ever food grain production. As per third advanced estimates, horticulture production during 2020-21 was 331.05 million MT which is increased to 342.33 million MT during 2021-22. It is the highest ever production for Indian horticulture.
Fixing of MSP at one-and-a half times the cost of production
Government has increased the MSP for all mandated Kharif, Rabi and other commercial crops with a return of at least 50 per cent over all India weighted average cost of production from 2018-19.
MSP for Paddy (common) has increased to Rs. 2040 per quintal in December, 2022 from Rs. 1940 per quintal in January, 2022.
MSP for Wheat increased from Rs. 2015 per quintal in January, 2022 to Rs. 2125 per quintal in December, 2022.
Launch of the National Mission for Edible Oils – Oil Palm – NMEO has been approved with a total outlay of Rs 11,040 crore. This will bring an additional area of 6.5 lakh ha under Oil Palm plantation with 3.28 lakh ha in the north-eastern states and 3.22 in the rest of India in the next 5 years. The major focus of the Mission is to provide Viability Prices of fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) to the farmers linked with assured procurement by industry with a simpler price fixing formula. The Central Government will compensate farmers through a viability gap payment if price paid by industry is below the viability price upto October, 2037.
Increase in procurement from farmers
For the cropping year 2020-21, the Government through its Nodal Agencies procured 12,11,619.39 MT of Pulses and Oilseeds having MSP value of Rs.6,830.18 Crores benefitting 7,06,552 farmers whereas in the year 2021-22, a quantity of 31,08,941.96 MT of pulses, oilseeds and copra having MSP value of Rs. 17,093.13 crore benefiting 14,68,699 farmers has been done. Further, under procurement of Kharif 2021-22 season, a quantity of 2,24,282.01 MT of Pulses and Oilseeds having MSP vale of Rs. 1380.17 Crores benefiting 1,37,788 farmers was procured till January, 2022 whereas, under procurement of Kharif 2022-23 season, a quantity of 1,03,830.50 MT of pulses, oilseeds & copra having MSP Value of Rs. 915.79 crore benefiting 61,339 farmers has been procured till December, 2022.
Income support to farmers through PM KISAN
PM-KISAN scheme was launched in 2019 which is an income support scheme to farmers providing Rs. 6000 per year in 3 equal installments.
In PM-KISAN scheme, Rs. 1.82 lakh crore was released to more than 11.74 crore farmers in January, 2022 whereas more than Rs. 2 lakh crore has been released so far to more than 11 crore eligible farmers till December, 2022.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal BimaYojana (PMFBY)
PMFBY was launched in 2016 addressing problems of high premium rates for farmers and reduction in sum insured due to capping.
Since implementation, 29.39 crore applicant farmers were enrolled and over 9.01 crore (Provisional) applicant farmers have received claims of over Rs. 1,04,196 crore till January, 2022 which increased to 38 crore enrolled applicant farmers and over 12.24 crore (Provisional) farmer applicants have received claims of over Rs. 1,28,522 crore till December, 2022.
Upto January, 2022 nearly Rs. 21532 crore were paid by farmers as their share of premium against which claims of over Rs.104196 crore (Provisional) were paid to them, thus for every 100 rupees of premium paid by farmers, they received Rs. 484 as claims whereas till December, 2022 nearly Rs. 25,192 crore were paid by farmers as their share of premium against which claims of over Rs. 1,28,522 crore (Provisional) have been paid to them, thus for every 100 rupees of premium paid by farmers, they have received about Rs. 510 as claims.
Institutional credit for agriculture sector
Institutional credit for agriculture sector was Rs. 16.5 lakh crore in January, 2022 which has been increased to Rs. 18.5 lakh crore in December, 2022.
Benefit of concessional institutional credit through KCC at 4% interest per annum has also now been extended to Animal Husbandry and Fisheries farmers for meeting their short-term working capital needs.
A special drive has been undertaken since February 2020 to provide concessional institutional credit with focus on covering all PM-KISAN beneficiaries through Kisan Credit Cards (KCC). Upto January, 2022, 291.67 lakh new KCC applications were sanctioned with a sanctioned credit limit of Rs. 3,19,902 crore as part of the drive which increased to 376.97 lakh sanctioned KCC applications with a sanctioned credit limit of Rs. 4,33,426 crore in December, 2022.
