Sir — Union Minister for Finance Arun Jaitley should have announced 100 per cent foreign direct investment in food processing industries to encourage private and foreign capital, but he has only announced an excise duty cut.
He also should have dedicated funds to promote geographical appellations of various Indian brands which have the potential to become global food brands like the Kiwi fruit, on the lines of fund s allocation for Varanasi weavers and Kashmiri Pashmina shawls, that he has done.
The agriculture sector has the potential to generate significant structured employment and grow at over eight per cent, as has been demonstrated in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.