Budget 2020 wishlist: Here are the key challenges for agriculture sector

Need improvement in fishing gear, infra for deep sea fishing, collection, storage and traceability of harvest, and processing of aqua produce

At a glance

• Agriculture and allied sector GVA growth rate declined from 6.3% in 2017 to 2.9% in 2019
• Export in terms of value of agri commo-dities and processed food jumped 7% in 2019
• Erratic weather patterns disrupted agri activities
• Production is expected to decline for most crops as compared to the previous years  
• Cereals and food grains are expected to have a surplus production, while pulses and oilseeds will be short in supply as compared to demand, in the coming decade

Key challenges

• Agri-insurance scheme is facing issues 
• Capacity utilisation in edible oil refining has decreased from 65% to 46% in five