“The government has been proactive in initiating farm reforms and modernising the agri sector. It is equally important to win confidence and support of the farmer community – towards that end, we expect to see more budget allocations and measures to bolster farmer income, with better access to credit and markets. We also expect a concerted effort from the central and state governments towards capacity building in agri and food processing sectors – incentives to build more modern pack houses, weatherproof warehouses, integrated cold chains, technology and data-mining to support supply chains and more. We need sharper focus on value addition in these sectors so that they become a key enablers of the government’s vision of farmer empowerment. We also urgently need easing of duty structures and regulations on export of fresh produce – this can build a positive momentum to make our agri economy more export-oriented.”