Budget 2026: Agriculture Sector Demands Big Reforms for Farmer Income Boost

• Agriculture employs 46% of the population but contributes only 18-20% to GVA, indicating low productivity and income.
• Structural reforms, not just fiscal transfers like PM-KISAN, are crucial to enhance farmers' income and ensure price realization.
• Shifting excess labor from agriculture to other sectors is essential to increase per capita income in farming.
• Lack of infrastructure, including cold storage and logistics, leads to 10-15% annual crop wastage, costing Rs 1.5 lakh crore.
• Focus on storage, irrigation, logistics, modern technology, and APMC reforms is needed to ensure fair prices and higher farmer income.

Why It Matters: Budget 2026 must prioritize structural reforms and infrastructure development in agriculture to boost farmer income.