CM Vijay hikes paddy incentives, raises sugarcane procurement price
Chennai, Aug 10
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay on Monday announced higher incentives for paddy and sugarcane farmers, raising the effective procurement prices as part of the state government's efforts to improve farm incomes and provide better returns for agricultural produce.
Making a statement under Rule 110 in the Assembly, CM 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 (MSP) fixed for the crops.
Following the revision, farmers supplying fine-variety paddy will receive Rs 2,750 per quintal, while the procurement price for common-variety paddy will increase to Rs 2,600 per quintal.
The Chief Minister said the enhanced support was intended to reduce the financial pressure on cultivators and ensure remunerative prices for their produce.
The announcement is likely to benefit a large number of paddy growers across Tamil Nadu, particularly farmers dependent on government procurement centres to market their harvest.
Paddy remains one of the state's major crops, and procurement prices have a significant bearing on farmers' earnings during the cultivation season.
CM Vijay also announced a substantial increase in the incentive extended to sugarcane growers supplying their produce to sugar mills in the state.
The Centre currently provides Rs 3,290.50 per tonne for sugarcane supplied to mills. The Tamil Nadu government will provide an additional incentive of Rs 709.50 per tonne, taking the total amount received by farmers to Rs 4,000 per tonne.
Highlighting the significance of the decision, the CM said this was the first time the total procurement price for sugarcane had reached the Rs 4,000-a-tonne mark in Tamil Nadu. The Chief Minister also described the revised paddy incentive as an important measure for cultivators, pointing out that the incentive for common-variety paddy had been increased by Rs 150 per quintal.
The announcements come amid demands from farmers for higher procurement prices to offset rising expenditure on agricultural inputs, labour and cultivation.
CM Vijay said his government remained committed to protecting the interests of the farming community and would continue to introduce measures aimed at strengthening agriculture and improving farmers' livelihoods across the state.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally some attention to sugarcane farmers! The Rs 4,000 per tonne mark is a milestone, but we need to ensure that mills actually pay this amount on time. Often the announcements are good, but implementation is slow. Let's see how it works on the ground.
This is a welcome step for the farming community. My uncle is a paddy farmer in Thanjavur and he was saying the MSP alone isn't enough anymore. These additional incentives are crucial. But we also need better irrigation facilities and crop insurance schemes for long-term support.
Interesting to see state governments taking the lead in supporting agriculture. The incentives seem significant, but I wonder if the state budget can sustain this for multiple seasons. Still, it's positive to see political will towards improving farm incomes. 👏
Good initiative, but we must remember that input costs have also risen sharply - fertilisers, diesel, labour. The extra Rs 150 per quintal might just cover the increased costs. True 'remunerative pricing' needs a more holistic approach. Still, every rupee helps our farmers.
As someone who's watched Indian agriculture closely, these state-level interventions are vital. The MSP system alone has limitations, and states like Tamil Nadu are finding innovative ways to support farmers. The Rs 4,000 per tonne for sugarcane is particularly impressive. Global sugar prices might not always support this, but it's good for now.
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