By Bl Chennai Bureau
Copyright thehindubusinessline
This year, paddy has been cultivated in Tamil Nadu on 5.66 lakh hectares an additional 1,28,494 acres compared to last year, said Chief Minister MK Stalin. “I have written to the Prime Minister requesting adequate fertiliser supply to Tamil Nadu. I have been assured that action will be taken. We are working with dedication to ensure that farmers and agriculture in Tamil Nadu do not suffer in any way,” he said at Agri Business Festival 2025 organised by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, on Saturday.
“We have been functioning as a government that listens to farmers’ views and preferences. Across Tamil Nadu, consultations were held, and based on them, we announced schemes in the agricultural budget. As a result, Tamil Nadu is now emerging as a pioneering State in agriculture,” he said.
In the last four years, the State achieved a food grain production of 456.44 lakh tonne. Three years ago, food grain productivity was 2,835 kg per hectare, and today it has increased to 2,857 kg per hectare, he said.
Summarising the State’s achievements of the past four years, Stalin said Tamil Nadu ranks first in India in crop productivity; second in maize, total oilseeds and sugarcane and third in millets and groundnut and steadily moving towards the top rank.
Through the “Kalaignar’s All Village Integrated Agricultural Development Scheme, in the past four years, 52 lakh people in 10,187 village panchayats have benefitted. I also proudly state that 47,000 acres of barren land have been brought back under cultivation, he said.
Under the “Protect Soil Life, Protect Human Life” scheme, 20 lakh farmers have benefitted so far. In the past four years, 130 lakh tonne of agricultural produce have been transacted through regulated markets, he said. The crop loan limit has been raised from ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh, he added.
Highlighting some of the other achievements, Stalin said .45 lakh tonne of cotton marketed in delta districts.; new regulated market at Alangulam, Tenkasi, worth ₹5.17 crore; turmeric export centre in Erode; approval for 324 warehouses from the Warehouse Development and Regulatory Authority, with recognition from the Centre; unified license for 8,366 traders and 745 Farmer Producer Organisations across Tamil Nadu and ₹285 crore worth of infrastructure facilities in regulated markets.
Stalin said Geographical Indication applications for 40 unique products of Tamil Nadu-7 have already been obtained (including Chozhavandan betel leaves, Panruti jackfruit, Puliyankudi lemon, Virudhunagar Samba vathal). Work is ongoing for the remaining 33 products. The formation of Tamil Nadu Cashew Board to safeguard the welfare of workers in the cashew industry, he said.
While ₹1,630 crore in compensation was paid to 21 lakh farmers for crop losses due to natural calamities, a sum of ₹5,720 crore in insurance claims was paid to 32 lakh farmers under the crop insurance scheme, he said.
Since the Centre’s MSP for 2025-26 was inadequate, the Tamil Nadu government has provided additional incentives at ₹131 per quintal for common variety and ₹156 per quintal for fine variety, ensuring farmers receive at least ₹2,500 per quintal, he said.
Published on September 27, 2025
