Leaders from the Indian fertilizer, agri-tech and dairy sectors hope that the forthcoming Union Budget will chart a roadmap for modern, resilient, and self-reliant agriculture and allied ecosystem.
Leaders from the Indian fertilizer, agri-tech and dairy sectors hope that the forthcoming Union Budget will chart a roadmap for modern, resilient, and self-reliant agriculture and allied ecosystem.
Rajib Chokarborty, National President of Soluble Fertiliser Industry Association, said apart from a strategic 3D reform of the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO), Digitisation, Decriminalisation and Deregulation, the upcoming budget is also expected to advance complementary interventions that support a modern, resilient and self-reliant fertilizer ecosystem.
Key expectations include promoting 'residue-free, nutrient-rich' farming as an integrated national agriculture and health policy to align crop nutrition with human nutrition, and recognising non-subsidised soluble, organic, micronutrient and stimulant (SOMS) fertilizers as strategic materials on par with critical minerals due to their importance in food systems and industrial value chains alongside subsidy reduction.
Other expectations focus on including indigenous input manufacturing under all Agriculture Development Funds to strengthen domestic production capability and reduce import dependence through seed funding.
Sanjiv Kanwar, Managing Director, Yara South Asia, said a simplified, nationally harmonised regulatory framework for agricultural inputs will accelerate innovation and ensure timely access to high-quality, science-based solutions, enabling modern crop nutrition, better agronomy and digital advisory to enhance productivity, profitability and resource use efficiency for farmers.
Driving drone tech further
Rohit Bajaj, co-founder, Balwaan Krishi, said Budget 2026 is a critical opportunity to strengthen agri-focused MSMEs that are driving farm mechanisation across tier-2 and tier-3 India. With mechanisation levels still at 40-45 per cent, targeted support through easier institutional credit, interest subvention, R&D incentives, expanded PLI for rural manufacturing, and faster approvals for agri-tech innovations are essential. The right policy push can accelerate sustainable mechanisation, reduce labour dependency, strengthen rural supply chains, and position India as a global hub for agri-machinery under the 'Make in India' vision.
Preet Sandhu, Founder & Managing Director, AVPL International, said the Union Budget is a key opportunity to accelerate India's drone and deep-tech ecosystem through an infrastructure-first approach. Strengthening Drone Shakti through incentive-based manufacturing will clearly signal India's shift from pilot adoption to large-scale expansion of the drone economy. Priority support for skill-linked training infrastructure, indigenous component manufacturing, and shared testing and certification facilities is essential to reduce import dependence and speed up innovation.
Encouraging dairy exports
Ranjith Mukundan, CEO and co-founder of Stellapps Technologies, said India is the world's largest producer of milk, yet its share in global dairy exports remains disproportionately low. With over 80 million smallholder dairy farmers, greater emphasis on agri-tech adoption, digital dairy procurement, and robust cold-chain infrastructure are essential to improve productivity, milk quality, and consistency.
A clear push towards value-added dairy products can help India move beyond liquid milk to export-ready formats that meet global standards for safety, nutrition, and traceability. This shift will enable farmers to scale productivity and herd size, improve quality and cost competitiveness, and position India as a credible supplier of value-added dairy products in international markets, Mukundan said.
Rajesh Aggarwal, Managing Director, Insecticides (India) Limited and Vice-Chairman, Crop Care Federation of India, said the crop protection and nutrition industry stands poised to power Atmanirbhar Bharat, backed by proven technical expertise and substantial manufacturing capabilities. As Budget 2026 nears, we request for restoration of the 200 per cent weighted tax deduction on R&D to spark investment in new molecules and formulations that deliver long-term cost savings to farmers as Indian companies are focusing on research now.
Equally critical are incentives for manufacturing expansion through greenfield and brownfield projects, linked to turnover or sales, alongside support for backward integration to produce imported intermediates domestically, building feedstock capacity and true Make in India strength.
"The PLI scheme proposal for agrochemicals needs simplification with realistic parameters to attract greenfield plants serving both domestic demand and exports. India's technical competence warrants initial five-year government support, as developing nations require policy scaffolding to achieve global parity. While fertilizer subsidies underscore commitment to farmers, parallel investment in next-generation agri-inputs will enhance input efficiency, shield indigenous innovation, and secure agricultural resilience," he said.
