Reacting to the Union Budget, Sunil Kataria, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Godrej Agrovet Ltd, said the proposals place strong emphasis on productivity, resilience and inclusive growth, once again reaffirming agriculture as a key pillar in India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat. Kataria said the targeted focus on livestock, fisheries and allied sectors signals a clear policy shift towards diversified and income-resilient farm systems. He welcomed the introduction of loan-linked capital support for veterinary education, hospitals, diagnostics and breeding infrastructure, noting that the move would expand capacity and improve access to high-quality services across rural India.
He said future science-led interventions in cattle genetics and breeding could play a crucial role in accelerating livestock productivity and boosting farm incomes. Kataria also appreciated the government’s push towards technology-driven agriculture, particularly the introduction of a multilingual AI platform, which he said would enable customised, risk-aware advisory services at scale amid evolving climate and market conditions. Highlighting fiscal measures, he welcomed the extension of tax deductions to primary cooperatives supplying cattle feed and cotton seed to federal cooperatives and government organisations, saying it would strengthen formal input supply chains and improve farmer realisation.
According to Kataria, the Budget’s calibrated approach integrating productivity, innovation, inclusion and institutional support lays a strong foundation for a future-ready agricultural ecosystem and reinforces agriculture’s role as a long-term contributor to India’s economic growth.