India’s food industry has praised the Budget 2025-26 for its focus on cold chain infrastructure and organic farming, but concerns remain over the absence of fiscal relief for key sectors such as dry fruits and food ingredients.
The ₹5.07 trillion ($58 billion) budget, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, includes funding for logistics improvements, post-harvest management, and sustainable agriculture. While industry leaders see this as a positive move, they argue that high import duties on essential food ingredients remain a challenge.
Stakeholders in the dry fruits sector, which relies on imports for products like apples and kiwis, had anticipated tariff reductions to ease costs but were left disappointed. In contrast, other industries such as mobile phone batteries and shipping received direct tax benefits.
The budget also introduces a six-year pulses development mission to enhance productivity, improve storage, and boost protein content. Additionally, the government plans to establish a National Institute of Food Technology to support food processing enterprises, particularly MSMEs and labor-intensive sectors.
While industry experts acknowledge the budget’s supportive stance towards agriculture, they stress the need for more targeted policies to enhance India’s global competitiveness in food exports.