New Delhi [India], September 14 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reaffirmed the central government’s commitment to empowering India’s agricultural community, announcing a series of initiatives aimed at bolstering the livelihoods of farmers.
In a post on X, PM Modi said that the recent policy decisions, including reduced export duty on onions and increased import duty on edible oils, will benefit the food producers, citing increased income and employment opportunities in rural areas.
The Prime Minister also attached the post of Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan with his post.
“We are leaving no stone unturned in the interest of our farmer brothers and sisters who work day and night for the food security of the country. Whether it is reducing the export duty on onions or increasing the import duty on edible oils, many such decisions are going to greatly benefit our food producers. While these will increase their income, employment opportunities will also increase in rural areas,” PM Modi said.
Meanwhile, Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday highlighted several measures taken by the Union government aimed at benefiting farmers and promoting agricultural development and their welfare.
In a post on X, Chouhan said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a farmer-friendly Prime Minister. Agriculture and farmer welfare are his top priorities. For farmer brothers and sisters, the Modi government has taken some big decisions in their interest.”
The central government has decided to increase the basic duty on refined oil to 32.5 percent. This move is expected to boost the demand for crops like mustard, sunflower, and groundnut used in refining, Chouhan said.
He added that this increase will help farmers get better prices for these crops and encourage the establishment of more refineries in small and rural areas, thereby creating more employment opportunities.
In addition, the export duty on onions has been reduced from 40 percent to 20 percent. According to Chouhan, this reduction will provide onion-producing farmers with better prices and enhance onion exports.
He said, “The Modi government, committed to the progress of farmers, has reduced the export duty on onions from 40 per cent to 20 per cent.” Chouhan further explained that this decision would benefit not only farmers but also other sectors related to onions.
Another major decision is the removal of the minimum export duty on Basmati rice. This policy change is intended to ensure fair prices for Basmati-producing farmers and increase the demand for Basmati rice exports.
Chouhan stated, “The Modi government, sensitive towards farmer welfare, has decided to remove the minimum export duty on Basmati rice.”
He expressed gratitude for this move, highlighting its positive impact on both farmers and the export sector.
Additionally, the import duty on edible oils has been increased from 0 to 20 percent, with the total effective duty reaching 27.5 percent after considering other measures. This change is expected to raise soybean crop prices and encourage edible oil manufacturers to purchase more from domestic farmers. Chouhan also added, “This decision will increase the production of soyabean and it will be exported. Along with this, other sectors related to soya will also benefit.”
The Union Agriculture Minister concluded by expressing heartfelt thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for these important decisions. “Thanks to respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji for this important decision,” he said. (ANI)
