Chennai, August 10
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay on Monday announced enhanced incentives for paddy and sugarcane farmers, raising procurement returns in a move aimed at cushioning cultivators against rising production costs and improving farm incomes.
Making a statement under Rule 110 in the State Assembly, Vijay said the government would provide an additional incentive of Rs 289 per quintal for fine-variety paddy and Rs 150 per quintal for common-variety paddy, over and above the Minimum Support Price fixed for the crops.
With the revised incentive, farmers will receive Rs 2,750 per quintal for fine-variety paddy and Rs 2,600 per quintal for common-variety paddy.
The Chief Minister said the higher support would ensure better returns for cultivators and reduce the financial burden caused by increasing expenditure on labour, fertilisers and other agricultural inputs.
The decision is expected to benefit paddy farmers across Tamil Nadu, particularly those selling their produce through government procurement centres. Paddy is among the State’s major crops, and procurement rates play an important role in determining farmers’ earnings.
Vijay also announced a significant increase in financial support for sugarcane growers supplying their produce to sugar mills.
The Centre currently provides Rs 3,290.50 per tonne for sugarcane supplied to mills. The State government will add an incentive of Rs 709.50 per tonne, taking the total amount payable to farmers to Rs 4,000 per tonne.
Vijay described the increase as a significant milestone, saying the total procurement price for sugarcane had reached Rs 4,000 per tonne for the first time in Tamil Nadu.
The announcements come amid persistent demands from farmers for higher procurement prices to compensate for increasing cultivation costs.
Vijay said his government would continue to take measures to protect farmers’ interests, strengthen the agricultural sector and ensure that cultivators receive remunerative prices for their produce.
