Union Budget 2023 is set to boost the Organic Farming Industry in India
India's natural farming industry has expanded with quick growth as customers have become more conscious of the advantages of eating nutritious, chemically balanced food. Natural farming refers to producing crops and livestock without using industrial pesticides, fertilizers, and genetically modified organisms. Instead, farmers utilize organic techniques to enhance soil fertility & manage pests, producing healthier food for consumers without deteriorating the nourishing ability of the environment.
When Sanesa started its farm in the summer of 2017, we knew nothing about farming. The resources and information about this particular field were hard to find. We have found that the farmers of India need to be educated about the importance of natural farming and its benefits. People, in general, need to understand the necessity and advantages of organic food. For us, it has been a journey full of new experiences, constant experiments, and failures. But the affection from a few loving customers whose trust Sanesa Natural Farms overwhelms us and keeps us going. We have now grown into a 40+ acre organic farm near Panipat.
The government would help 1 crore (100 million) farmers switch to natural (or chemical-balanced) farming during the following three years, according to Union Budget 2023. The plan encourages states and union territories to promote alternative natural fertilizers and a balanced use of chemical fertilizers. According to the Economic Survey 2022–23, India has 4.43 million organic farmers. For the next three years, the Union Budget 2023–24 wants to assist 10 million farmers in switching to natural farming.
In her budget speech on January 1, 2023, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made a few promises to the agricultural sector that could advance organic/natural farming in India. These declarations can assist farmers in making the switch to chemical-free agriculture if they are implemented with sufficient budgetary support.
Announcements for organic farmers in the Budget.
Promoting Organic farming
The establishment of 10,000 Bhartiya Prakritik Kheti Bio-Input Resource Centers for organic farming over the following three years was announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
She stated: " 10,000 Bio-Input Resource Centers will be established for this, resulting in the development of a distributed national micro-fertilizer and pesticide manufacturing network."
Encouraging the use of alternative fertilizers
In the Budget for 2023–2024, Sitharaman also unveiled a brand-new program to offer incentives for using alternative and natural fertilizers. The government's aim with this policy is to pursue farmers for using organic and chemically balanced fertilizers for their crops while encouraging the industries to manufacture and research better alternative fertilizers.
Sitharaman said, “PM Program for Restoration, Awareness, Nourishment, and Amelioration of Mother Earth (PM PRANAM) will be launched to incentivize states and union territories to promote alternative fertilizers and balanced use of chemical fertilizers.”
GOBARdhan
The Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBARdhan) plan is the subject of the third significant announcement. 500 new "waste to wealth" facilities will be built to encourage a circular economy. At Rs 10,000 crore, these will include 200 compressed biogas facilities and 300 community or cluster-based plants. The distribution of bio-manure and the gathering of biomass will both receive financial support. This will help India promote organic fertilizers.
Millet- The “shree anna.’
Millets are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown worldwide as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. These are prized for their nutritional value and low water and fertilizer needs. Yet precise budgetary commitments need to be made in this regard, and it's unclear whether enough money will be given out. Also, it was announced that India would become a major producer of millets, or "Shree Anna," on a global scale. Hyderabad's Indian Institute of Millet Research will receive assistance as the Center of Excellence for exchanging cutting-edge knowledge, research, and technology.
Agriculture Accelerator Fund
Another statement made by the minister concerned an Agriculture Accelerator Fund, which would provide creative and reasonably priced solutions to problems faced by farmers. It seeks to boost production and profitability by integrating contemporary technologies with changing agricultural techniques. However, under this fund, precise guidelines should be established for encouraging chemical-free sustainable agriculture.
Empowering Agricultural credit societies
The Indian government is investing Rs 2,516 crore in computerizing 63,000 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), enabling them to become multi-purpose cooperatives with decentralized storage capacity. There is a need to involve these cooperatives in supporting organic/natural farmers in the market. However, there are concerns about the misuse of 'digital agriculture.'
Other important announcements
The government has also announced initiatives such as the Atmanirbhar Horticulture Clean Plant Program, a public-private partnership to enhance cotton crop productivity, and a PM Matsya Sampada Yojana sub-scheme with an investment of Rs 6,000 crore.
Besides these, an announcement about the cooperative sector also deserves some discussion. A national cooperative database is being prepared for the country-wide mapping of cooperative societies. Earlier, it was announced by the government that the cooperative AMUL would engage in the marketing, distribution and testing of organic/natural farming produce in the country to help farmers.
As a trusted organic food brand in Delhi-NCR, we welcome this initiative from the government to promote natural farming. We hope that the government will provide sufficient budgetary support for this initiative and that it will encourage more farmers to make the switch to natural farming.
From a responsible economic point of view, SanesaFarms wishes that the market for the organic food industry grows, which can contribute to the benefits of organic farming.
The farmers who make this harder and more responsible choice deserve to be rewarded.