Farmers are not happy with the Union Budget of 2017

PUNE: Farmers are highly disappointed with Budget 2017 alleging that the Prime Minister has not done enough to fulfill his pre-election promises made to the farming community.

The announcement of increasing farm credit to 10 lakh crore may not help much the small and marginalised farmers, who are outside the banking network.

"About 60% of the farmers are outside the banking system. They depend upon the informal sector for loans. Unless the definition of priority sector lending is changed, it will not help the small and marginal farmers, the landless and the nomads," said P Chengal Reddy, secretary general, Consortium of Indian Farmers' Associations.

He added, "Farmers were promised that they will get a price of 50% above the cost of production, we were promised that the MNRGA will be linked with farming. The budget has not done anything to fulfill these promises."

Representatives of farmers think that the government has not done enough to help the farmers, who have been affected adversely by demonetisation. "The value chain of pastoral, fruit and vegetable farmers have been disturbed. There is nothing for the labourers who have returned from cities to their villages due to loss of jobs post-demonetisation," said Reddy.

Reddy doubted the government's claim of 4.1% growth in agricultural GDP. "In order to take credit for growth in agriculture, we should have increase in sales of fertilisers, seeds and irrigation facilities. We do not see any of these. Whatever increase in agriculture growth, it has come only due to the mercy of the rain Gods," he said.