On June 20th, a delegation from the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) engaged in meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to discuss the upcoming Union Budget and its potential impacts on the Agriculture and Rural Sector. Led by Nand Kishore Aggarwal, Chair of the Agri Business Committee at PHDCCI, the meeting focused on presenting comprehensive recommendations aimed at enhancing growth and sustainability within the agriculture sector.
Nand Kishore Aggarwal emphasized several critical suggestions:
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Advocating for prioritized development of rural infrastructure such as roads, bridges, storage facilities, and veterinary services to mitigate post-harvest losses and enhance market accessibility for farmers.
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Setting an ambitious target of increasing agricultural exports to USD 100 billion within the next three years by increasing public investments in infrastructure and attracting private sector participation.
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Urging for strengthened access to long-term credit facilities for farmers to boost productivity and income, coupled with the modernization of storage facilities to minimize wastage.
These recommendations underscored the PHDCCI's proactive stance towards promoting agricultural prosperity and resilience, anticipating positive policy responses from the government in the forthcoming budgetary decisions.