Myopic Agriculture Budget fails to honour poll promises: Association

MADURAI/TIRUCHY: Farmers' organisations and the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TN Chamber) on Thursday criticised the State Agriculture Budget 2026-27, alleging that it failed to honour key election promises, lacked long-term policy initiatives and offered little to address farmers' immediate concerns.

Tamil Nadu Farmers Protection Association founder and advocate Eesan Murugasamy said major poll promises, including a farmers' entitlement payment of Rs 15,000 per hectare, higher procurement prices for paddy and sugarcane and an increase in the milk procurement price, had not been fulfilled.

He claimed that while the previous DMK government's Interim Budget had allocated Rs 47,248 crore for agriculture, the present Budget earmarked Rs 15,000 crore for the agriculture sector and Rs 7,432 crore for free electricity for agriculture. He questioned the reduction in allocation and sought an explanation for the difference.

Murugasamy welcomed the proposals to establish a natural farming college in Kumbakonam in the name of Nammalvar, introduce carbon trading and set up an agricultural business guidance centre. However, he said the Rs 12-crore allocation for natural farming was inadequate and criticised the decision to implement the market intervention scheme for mango farmers only next year.

He also faulted the continuation of subsidy-based schemes instead of directly transferring the promised farmers' entitlement payment into bank accounts and urged the government to lift the ban on tapping, selling and consuming toddy to improve the livelihoods of coconut and palmyra farmers and traditional tree climbers.

Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam general secretary PS Masilamani alleged that the Budget contradicted the Chief Minister's election promises and ignored demands raised by farmers during the State-level interaction meeting in Chennai.

He welcomed the crop insurance announcement but said the demand to provide for through public sector firms had not been accepted. He urged the government to increase the Rs 143-crore allocation for the Cauvery-Gundar linking project and fix a deadline for its completion.

Masilamani said farmers had expected a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 3,500 per quintal for paddy and Rs 4,500 per tonne for sugarcane, as promised during the election campaign, but the Budget failed to deliver. He welcomed the recognition of the likely impact of El Niño on 12 districts but said there was no assurance of support for farmers affected by natural calamities or compensation for those who lost the kuruvai crop this year.

Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam general secretary Sami Natarajan expressed disappointment over the absence of announcements on free power supply for eligible farmers and drought compensation for farmers and agricultural labourers.

PR Pandian, president of the Coordination Committee of All Farmers Associations, alleged that most announcements were a repackaging of existing schemes and said the Budget lacked measures to improve farm profitability. He criticised the omission of the promised MSP for paddy and sugarcane and said farmers, who were the worst affected by climate change, had received no assurance of protection from natural disasters. He also stressed that continuation of free power supply was essential to sustain agricultural production.

In a separate statement, TN Chamber president N Jegatheesan said the Agriculture Budget was largely confined to routine schemes and financial allocations and lacked fresh policy initiatives to take agriculture to the next stage of development.

He said the Budget failed to outline sustainable strategies to tackle climate change, promote value-added agri-industries, encourage export-oriented agriculture, expand modern technologies and precision farming and significantly enhance farmers' incomes.

The Chamber, however, welcomed the proposals to establish integrated agricultural extension centres and a Farmers' Income Enhancement Commission.