Farmers largely disappointed with Agriculture Budget, welcome some initiatives
Farmers' organizations in Tamil Nadu have expressed disappointment with the state's Agriculture Budget, citing a lack of promised crop loan waivers and insufficient procurement price increases. While some initiatives were welcomed, critics argue that financial allocations for these schemes remain inadequate.
Why it matters
Reflects the tension between political campaign promises and fiscal policy implementation in the agricultural sector.
The absence of announcements on implementing the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s poll promises on crop loan waiver and increasing the procurement price of paddy and sugarcane in the Agriculture Budget presented on Thursday has drawn widespread criticism from farmers’ organisations in the central region.
“Farmers were expecting announcements on the TVK’s key poll promises on crop loan waiver and an increase in procurement price. But it is highly disappointing and regrettable that the Budget is silent on the promises of full waiver of cooperative crop loans of small and marginal farmers and 50% waiver of loans taken by big farmers and increasing the procurement price of paddy to ₹3,500 a quintal and sugarcane to ₹4,500 a tonne by increasing the incentives offered by the State government over the price fixed by the Centre,” P.R. Pandian, president, Coordination Committee of All Farmers Associations of Tamil Nadu.
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