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The Union Budget for 2026-27 has placed strong emphasis on livestock and fisheries, recognising their growing role in India’s agricultural economy. Reflecting this priority, the allocation for animal husbandry has been increased substantially, by 26.7 per cent, alongside a series of new measures aimed at improving productivity, employment and export competitiveness.
The total budget allocation for Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying was Rs 8,915.26 crore. Economic Survey 2025-2026 shows that the agriculture sector’s 4.6 per cent growth in financial year (FY) 2025-26 is driven majorly by livestock and fisheries, rather than crops.
Presenting the budget, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted that livestock now contributes nearly 16 per cent of farm income, including for poor and marginal households. To strengthen veterinary and breeding infrastructure, the government announced a loan-linked capital subsidy scheme to support the establishment of veterinary and para-veterinary colleges, hospitals, diagnostic laboratories and breeding facilities in the private sector.
The initiative aims to expand the availability of veterinary professionals by over 20,000, with collaboration between Indian and foreign institutions also being encouraged. “It is good to see some focus on building veterinary professional capacity, which can improve farmers’ timely access to the required guidance and support. Among others, the initiative can also be leveraged to prevent disease on farms and reduce use of chemicals like antibiotics, particularly in intensive and commercial livestock farms,” said Amit Khurana, director of the Sustainable Food Systems programme at Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment. He added that improved veterinary capacity should also focus on promoting sustainable and rural and backyard poultry to improve livelihood of small-holders and local nutrition.
With an aim to generate quality employment in rural and peri-urban areas, the budget proposes a multi-pronged strategy for animal husbandry. This includes credit-linked subsidies, modernisation of livestock enterprises, development of integrated dairy, poultry and livestock value chains, and promotion of Livestock Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to improve market access and bargaining power.
The fisheries sector has also received attention. The government has announced plans for development of 500 reservoirs and Amrit Sarovars, along with measures to strengthen coastal fisheries value chains. Market linkages will be expanded through partnerships with start-ups, women-led groups and fish FPOs aimed at improving incomes and reducing dependence on intermediaries.
In a move to boost exports, the budget proposes to raise the limit for duty-free imports of specified inputs used in seafood processing from 1 per cent to 3 per cent of the previous year’s export turnover. To help Indian fishers better utilise marine resources beyond territorial waters, Sitharaman announced that fish caught by Indian vessels in the Exclusive Economic Zone and on the high seas will be exempt from duty. Such landings at foreign ports will be treated as exports, providing greater incentives for deep-sea fishing operations. Safeguards will be introduced to prevent misuse during catch, transit and trans-shipment.