India’s Economic Survey Targets Agricultural Productivity Boost

The Economic Survey 2025-26, presented in Parliament by Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, outlines the government’s strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity. With a strong focus on quality seeds, irrigation efficiency, soil health, and mechanization, the report emphasizes interventions that can significantly impact farmers across the nation.

Quality Seeds for Farmers

One of the cornerstone initiatives detailed in the survey is the Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Materials (SMSP), which began in the 2014-15 fiscal year. This program ensures that farmers have access to high-quality seeds through various stages of production, processing, and certification. As a result, 6.85 lakh Seed Villages have been established, yielding over 1649 lakh quintals of quality seeds and benefitting approximately 2.85 crore farmers. Additionally, the Union Budget for 2025-26 introduced a National Mission focused on high-yielding, climate-resilient seed varieties.

Enhancing Irrigation and Water Management

Access to reliable water sources through advanced irrigation systems remains critical for boosting agricultural productivity. To this end, the government is incentivizing small and marginal farmers with significant financial support for installing Drip and Sprinkler systems under the PDMC program. The percentage of irrigated land has significantly risen from 41.7% in 2001-02 to an impressive 55.8% in 2022-23, thanks to these initiatives.

Promoting Soil Health

The decline in soil health, particularly concerning soil organic carbon, presents a notable challenge for agriculture in India. The government’s Soil Health Management (SHM) and Soil Health Card (SHC) schemes aim to promote integrated nutrient management. A staggering 25.55 crore soil health cards have been issued to farmers, equipping them with essential information for enhancing soil quality.

Mechanization and Collective Access to Resources

Farm mechanization is another priority area, with the government supporting states through the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM). Since 2014-15, 25,689 Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) have been established to facilitate access to necessary machinery, with 558 new centres inaugurated in the current fiscal year.

Infrastructure Development in Agriculture

To bolster agricultural infrastructure and market access, the Agriculture Marketing Infrastructure (AMI) sub-scheme has funded nearly 50,000 storage projects, reflecting a total financial release of ₹4,832.70 crore. The government has also launched the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), providing ₹1 lakh crore to enhance post-harvest and community farming projects.

Price Stability and Support for Farmers

To combat the volatility of farm incomes due to external factors, the government has established Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for 22 crops. Recent developments include a rise in MSP to ensure fair returns for farmers during the Kharif and Rabi marketing seasons. Additionally, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme has disbursed over ₹4.09 lakh crore to more than 11 crore eligible farmers since its launch.

Enhancing Access to Agricultural Credit

Lastly, the government seeks to augment agricultural credit through formal channels, including banks and cooperatives. Ground Level Credit (GLC) disbursement reached ₹28.69 lakh crore, surpassing targets for fiscal year 2025. The introduction of supportive measures, such as the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS), has further provided loans at subsidized rates, enhancing the financial stability of farmers.

These outlined measures within the Economic Survey aim to reinforce agricultural productivity and provide greater economic stability for farmers across India, ultimately leading to a more robust agricultural sector.

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