It shall be soon time for the budget to be proposed. Industry leaders expect a lot from the government. The expectations and suggestions ahead of the release of the government budget form a part of public discourse.
Hoping a sigh of relief for the farmers, Mr. Mahendra Kumar Dhanuka, Managing Director Dhanuka Limited wishes that government must outline solutions to address farm distress. Calling 2018 as a year of reforms in the agricultural sector, he said, “We welcomed the government’s decisions regarding MSP, crop procurement and export policy and look forward to their implementation.” He mentioned that one of the prime reasons for the farmers’ stir is that the benefits announced by the government don’t reach them on time, leaving them at the mercy of local mandis. Moreover, the input cost equally hurt them because of which they are not able to use quality products to enhance production.
A deduction of tax on agri products is proposed by Dhanuka. “We would like the government to reduce GST on pesticides from 18 per cent to 5 per cent in line with fertilizers and other agri-products so that farmers get quality pesticides at reasonable price to protect their crops from pests and diseases,” he quotes.
Dhanuka Agritech Ltd listed on BSE and NSE, manufactures a wide range of farm input products to support the farmer in his pursuit for better crop, better farming and a better life. The company has a pan India presence with 30 branch offices and 48 warehouses and is on the lookout to bring the latest technology to Indian farmers.
Mr. Kumar mentions that connection with the markets is still an issue and there should be certain mechanisms in place, where a group of farmers can be provided with a vehicle to transport the produce to cities and consumers in order to do away with the middlemen involved. The company believes that agricultural infrastructure at the village level must increase. “We would request government to focus on it on priority that will eventually bring inclusive development at village level,” the MD said.
