New Delhi: The Union Budget 2026 has laid strong emphasis on boosting high-value agriculture, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announcing a series of targeted programmes to support crops such as coconut, cashew, cocoa, sandalwood, walnuts, almonds and pine nuts. The initiatives aim to diversify farm production, raise productivity, improve farmer incomes and generate new employment opportunities across regions.
Presenting the Budget, Sitharaman said the Centre will roll out focused support for region-specific high-value crops. Coastal areas will see renewed thrust on coconut, cashew, cocoa and sandalwood, while the northeastern states will be encouraged to cultivate select tree-based crops. In hilly regions, special attention will be given to nuts such as almonds, walnuts and pine nuts to unlock their commercial and export potential.
A key highlight of the announcement was the proposal for a dedicated coconut promotion scheme to strengthen India’s global competitiveness in coconut production. Underscoring the importance of the sector, Sitharaman noted that India is the world’s largest producer of coconuts, with nearly 30 million people including around 10 million farmers depending on the crop for their livelihoods. The proposed scheme will focus on increasing output and productivity through measures such as replacing ageing and non-productive trees with high-yielding saplings and improved varieties in major coconut-growing states.
The finance minister also announced a specialized programme for cashew and cocoa, aimed at reducing import dependence and making India self-reliant in raw material production. The initiative will strengthen domestic processing capacity, improve export competitiveness and position Indian cashew and cocoa as premium global brands by 2030.
In a move that blends economic goals with cultural preservation, Sitharaman said the Centre will work closely with state governments to revive and strengthen the Indian sandalwood ecosystem. Focused cultivation, better post-harvest processing and value-chain development will be promoted to restore the traditional prominence of sandalwood, which she described as deeply embedded in India’s social and cultural heritage.
For the hill states, the Budget proposes a dedicated push to expand high-density cultivation of walnuts, almonds and pine nuts. The programme aims not only to enhance farmer incomes but also to promote value addition and attract youth participation in modern horticulture and agri-processing.
Overall, the Budget’s emphasis on high-value crops signals a strategic shift towards diversified, region-specific agriculture. By linking cultivation with processing, branding and exports, the government hopes to create resilient rural livelihoods while positioning Indian produce more competitively in global markets.