Narendra Modi says govt will unveil new agriculture export policy soon, on track to double farmers' income by 2022

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said a new agriculture export policy will be unveiled soon to boost farm income as the government is on track to achieve its target of doubling farmers’ income by 2022. Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day, Modi spelt out pro-farm measures taken during the four years of his government, the cornerstone being the bold move to fix the minimum support price (MSP) of crops at least 1.5 times of the cost of production. [caption id=“attachment_4971331” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on the 72nd Independence Day in New Delhi. PTI[/caption] “The demand for higher MSP was pending for years. From farmers to political parties to agriculture experts, everybody was asking about it but nothing happened. We decided that farmers should get 1.5 times more price than their cost of production and implemented the decision,” he said. The prime minister said doubts were cast when he set the target of doubling farm income by 2022 but decisions like an increase in the price for crops have ensured that the government is on track of meeting the target. Noting that in the changing times, farmers too are facing global markets and the government is working on an agriculture export policy in this regard. He, however, did not give details of the policy on the anvil. Decisions cast in stone “The country is producing record food grains. Our granaries are full,” Modi said while highlighting the achievements in the farm sector. Farmers are adopting micro-irrigation, drip irrigation and sprinklers, he said, adding that the government is reviving 99 stuck irrigation projects. “With a ‘Beej se Bazar Tak’ (helping farmers in getting seeds as well as accessing market) approach, we are bringing a remarkable change in the agriculture sector. The aim is to double farmers’ income by 2022. Today, our entire focus is on bringing transformation and modernising the agriculture sector,” Modi said. He said some people had doubt about achieving the goal of doubling farmers’ income but the resolve of the government was firm. “Hum makkhan par lakeer nahi_, patthar par_ lakeer kheechane wale hain (decisions taken by us are cast in stone and not on butter)”. The prime minister said the government is promoting value addition to boost the income of farmers. In his about 90-minute speech, Modi spoke about the new avenues farmers are engaging in, like blue revolution and bee-keeping, as also solar farming. India, he said, is currently the second largest fish producer in the world and will soon occupy the top position. That apart, referring to sugarcane farmers, he said that ethanol production has trebled. Last month, the government announced the minimum support price for kharif crops and hiked the MSP for paddy by a record Rs 200 per quintal. The MSPs of other kharif (summer-sown) crops were also raised sharply to help fulfil its poll promise to give farmers 50 percent more rate than their cost of production. In June, the government announced a Rs 8,500-crore package for the sugar sector, including soft loans for setting up ethanol manufacturing capacity. The commerce and industry ministry had in March had come out with a draft ‘Agriculture Export Policy’, aimed at doubling agricultural exports and integrating Indian farmers and agricultural products to the global value chain. While the BJP had promised in 2014 to give farmers a price of 1.5 times of cost, an announcement to give effect to the promise was made in the government’s fifth and final annual Budget presented on 1 February this year.