Union Budget 2022: Agriculture, rural could do with more stimulus

Food, fertiliser, petroleum subsidies were lower in FY23, compared with FY22

The agriculture sector has done well during the pandemic with growth rates of 3.6 per cent and 3.9 per cent, respectively, in 2020-21 (FY21) and 2021-22 (FY22).

However, agricultural and rural incomes are under stress due to several reasons. Farmers have to pay more for farm inputs and non-agriculture consumption, including health, as terms of trade are not in favour of agriculture. Reduction in remittances due to reverse migration and lower growth in rural wages led to low incomes in agriculture and rural areas. According to the Situation Assessment Survey of the National Sample Survey Organization, an average farmer is getting