The government has announced a decade of investment in agriculture by reducing the budget of the agriculture and livestock development sector. Presenting the budget for the next financial year 2081/82 in the Joint House of the Federal Parliament on Tuesday, Finance Minister Barshman Pun has declared the period from 2081 to 2091 as the decade of investment in agriculture by increasing investment in the agricultural sector from government, private, cooperative and development partners.

The government has allocated 1.69 billion rupees less in the agricultural budget compared to the current financial year. Finance Minister Pun said that 57 billion 29 million budget has been allocated for agriculture for the next financial year. In the current financial year, the budget for agriculture was allocated 58.98 billion. The amount of subsidy for chemical fertilizers, which plays a major role in the production of agricultural crops, has also decreased.

The subsidy of chemical fertilizers has decreased by 2 billion 5 million rupees. The government has allocated only 27.95 billion to buy chemical fertilizers for the next financial year. Whereas, 30 billion was allocated for the current financial year. Finance Minister Pun said that the use of chemical pesticides will be discouraged and biological pesticides will be promoted. 

The budget of the Prime Minister's Agriculture Modernization Project has also decreased. 3 billion 22 million rupees were allocated for this project in the current financial year. 2.98 billion has been allocated for the next financial year. Under the project, agricultural crops are being produced through 8 thousand 710 pockets, 1 thousand 587 blocks, 177 zones and 16 super zones. 

Former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai said that the production will not increase if the decade of investment in agriculture is announced. "In agriculture, it is just a slogan that increases the production by reducing the budget. The government has not brought a concrete program of large irrigation projects for agricultural production, nor has it talked about investment in fertilizers, seeds, and technology needed for farmers,' said Bhattarai, who is also a former finance minister.

The government aims to increase production and productivity by commercializing and modernizing agriculture. Finance Minister Pun said that the special areas of agricultural produce will be identified and promoted by union, state and local levels according to geography, market potential and ecological characteristics. He said that contract farming will be promoted with the participation of the government, farmers and businessmen to ensure fair prices and markets for agricultural produce.

'If the firm that collects, processes and exports agricultural produce ensures that local farmers will purchase agricultural products by providing fertilizer, seeds and other materials needed, interest subsidies on fertilizer, seeds, agricultural extension services and loans will be provided based on the amount of produce produced.' It is said in the budget, 'starting capital will be provided to 300 highway-focused productive organizations for the commercialization of agriculture. And, I have made arrangements to ensure the market of the produced goods. I have allocated 1.12 billion for this.' 

The government is going to give tax exemptions to farmers who do collective farming professionally through land consolidation and chaklabandi. "Individuals, firms and cooperatives who are commercially engaged in group farming, animal husbandry and herb cultivation by consolidating more than 50 plantations in the mountains and hills and more than 10 bighas in the Terai will be given interest subsidy, technical assistance and tax exemption on machinery import," the budget statement said. . Similarly, it is mentioned in the budget that government, public, river raising and privately owned barren land will be documented at the local level and used for agricultural crops, fruits, vegetables, grass crops, herbs, animal-poultry and fishery. 

Finance Minister Pun said arrangements will be made to provide government land on lease to promote collective farming. It is said that the market will be ensured by providing advanced seeds and subsidies for irrigation to promote the production of agricultural crops including fine and lustrous rice, sugarcane, corn, milk, fish, meat, coffee, tea, ginger, turmeric, Akbare chilli, onion, potato etc. It is mentioned in the budget that necessary funds have been allocated for the expansion of chaite rice and hindu maize, production and consumption of Raithane crops. 

Apart from this, 1 billion 44 crore rupees have been allocated to develop the fruit sector, Finance Minister Pun said. Fruit farming will be expanded in two thousand hectares of hilly and high mountain areas, and the capacity of fourteen government firms will be expanded to produce at least seven lakh quality fruit plants. "A state-of-the-art laboratory will be established to produce plants using tissue culture technology," he said.