Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her ninth consecutive Union Budget on Sunday (Feb. 1). The 2026 Budget unveiled a series of measures aimed at increasing farmer incomes, strengthening the animal husbandry sector and supporting women-led rural enterprises.
Coconut
The Finance Minister proposed a Coconut Promotion Scheme to increase production and productivity, which would benefit about 30 million people, including nearly 10 million farmers who depend on coconuts for their livelihoods. The scheme will focus on replacing old and non-productive trees with new saplings or varieties in major coconut-growing states, aiming to make India’s coconut sector more competitive globally.
Cocoa, Cashew And More
To transform Indian cashew and cocoa into premium global brands by 2030, the Budget proposed a dedicated programme to achieve self-reliance in raw cashew and cocoa production and processing.
The initiatives will focus on rejuvenating old, low-yield orchards and promoting high-density cultivation of walnuts, almonds, and pine nuts, while engaging youth to boost farmer incomes and drive value addition.
Sandalwood
Recognising its cultural and social significance, the government will partner with state authorities to promote focused cultivation and post-harvest processing of sandalwood. This would aim to restore the Indian Sandalwood ecosystem to its former glory.
Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman proposed multiples proposals for farmers, animal husbandry, veterinary professionals, especially for women-led rural enterprises.#ViksitBharatBudget pic.twitter.com/XxA7JzXTtm
— Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) February 1, 2026
Bharat-VISTAAR
Sitharaman announced the launch of Bharat-VISTAAR (Virtually Integrated System To Access Agricultural Resources), a multilingual AI tool that integrates the AgriStack portal with ICAR’s agricultural practice packages. The platform is designed to provide customised advisory support, improve farm productivity, enable better decision-making and reduce risks for farmers.
500 Reservoirs, Boost For Fisheries
The government plans to develop 500 reservoirs and Amrit Sarovars, alongside initiatives to strengthen the fisheries value chain in coastal areas. Start-ups, women-led groups, and Fish Farmers Producer Organisations will be supported to improve market linkages and boost the sector.
Animal Husbandry
With livestock contributing nearly 16% of farm income, including for poor and marginal households, the Budget proposed entrepreneurship development in the animal husbandry sector. A loan-linked capital subsidy scheme will support the establishment of veterinary and para-vet colleges, hospitals, diagnostic labs and breeding facilities in the private sector. Collaborations between Indian and foreign institutions will also be facilitated.
(SHE) Marts
Building on the Lakhpati Didi Programme, the government plans to launch Self-Help Entrepreneur (SHE) Marts. These community-owned retail outlets will allow women to transition from credit-led livelihoods to enterprise ownership, supported by innovative financing instruments at the cluster level.
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