TIRUCHY: As per the execution order of Tamil Nadu Millet Mission, the farmers who come forward to cultivate millets, would be provided a special package with a subsidy of Rs 2,400 per acre, said the Ariyalur District Collector P Rathinasamy on Wednesday.

Introducing the Tamil Nadu Millet Mission in the district for 2025-26 and calling upon the farmers to cultivate millet as an alternate crop, the district collector Rathinasamy said that after the wide consumption of rice and wheat, the millet cultivation has enormously shrunk across the State. To encourage the farmers who cultivate in the rain-fed areas, an alternate crop like millet would be beneficial as it requires less water compared to paddy.

“The millet mission was launched to encourage the farmers to increase millet cultivation which has less risk but more beneficial. Besides, the farmers are provided with a special package with a subsidy of Rs 2,400 per acre, that includes millet seeds, micronutrients, fertiliser mixture, and various other factors,” said the collector.

The kambu (pearl millet) variety of CO 10 and ragi (finger millet) variety of CO (R) 15 are available with the agricultural extension centres across the district and the farmers can avail them for cultivation and increase the area of cultivation through the ‘Uzhavan” app, the collector said.