Compared with the overall national budget, the allocation for agriculture has fallen again. Special financial support or subsidies were not spelled out, though new directions have come, and some demands raised by farmers for several years have been given weight.

Despite hopes of change and surprises in the 2015-16 budget, there is nothing new for agriculture. Agriculture and rural development together are allocated 409.75 billion taka. Of this, agriculture receives 126.99 billion taka in development and non-development spending, 4.30 per cent of the total budget and 0.65 percentage points less than the current fiscal year.

Fisheries and livestock are allocated 14.89 billion taka, 2.83 billion taka more than last year. The budget speech proposes continuing the current allocation for char areas.

There is no direction on storing vegetables and fruit, but increasing grain storage capacity is proposed. The income tax exemption for the poultry industry has not been extended, though duty- and tax-free import benefits continue. Special emphasis is given to agro-processing.

Tax exemptions on farm inputs, fertiliser, seed, farm machinery and essential consumer goods are proposed to continue, as is farm credit.

Source: Shykh Seraj, Hridoye Mati O Manush. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.