Various farmers’ associations have expressed their views regarding the Tamil Nadu agriculture budget.
Sami. Natarajan (Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Association - Marxist): In the agricultural budget, announcements for various schemes have been made to the tune of Rs. 58,374 crore. There is no announcement in the state agricultural budget that provides appropriate relief to the hardships faced by Tamil Nadu farmers due to the central government’s agricultural policies. As per the election promise, the failure to waive farmers’ crop loans is a major disappointment for farmers.
P.S. Masilamani (Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Association – Communist Party of India): This report does not fully take into account the expectations and needs of farmers. Funds have been allocated for the crop insurance scheme. However, there is no plan to implement a government public-sector insurance scheme. There is no South Indian river-linking project. The announcement of onion storage warehouses is commendable. The absence of a rainwater harvesting scheme and a plan to build check dams is a major disappointment.
Eesan Murugasamy (Founder of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Protection Association): In the TVK government’s first agricultural budget, farmers were left only disappointed. The establishment of a natural farming diploma college in Kumbakonam in the name of natural farming scientist Nammalvar, and the demonstration project on carbon trading, are welcome initiatives.
Rajiv (State Coordinator, Nell Jayaraman Traditional Rice Conservation Center): A historic announcement has been made that a college for a diploma course in organic agriculture will be established in Chakkottai, Thanjavur district. We express our heartfelt thanks to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and the Minister for Agriculture. The Tamil Nadu government's announcement has given a huge boost to the effort to revive traditional rice varieties in the path of the late Nell Jayaraman.
K. Manikandan (Tamil Nadu Farmers Association): In the previous interim budget, Rs. 47,248 crore was allocated, whereas now only Rs. 15,000 crore has been allocated for agriculture and Rs. 7,432 crore for agricultural power subsidy, significantly reducing the funding.
We welcome the announcements on water management, drone usage, an organic agriculture college in the name of Nammalvar, and a Farmers’ Income Enhancement Commission. However, the funding for organic farming is not sufficient. Along with immediately announcing a waiver of cooperative crop loans, the focus should not be only on production targets; priority must be given to increasing farmers’ income and improving their livelihoods.