CHENNAI: Agriculture minister M R K Panneerselvam on Thursday said farmers were organising protests in Tamil Nadu because government schemes were benefitting 1.04crore farmers in the state.
Replying to the debate on agriculture budget, the minister said it was prepared after holding consultation and receiving representations from farmers. The state govt has been procuring paddy at prices over and above the minimum support price by giving incentive of Rs 107 per quintal for fine varieties and Rs 82 for other varieties and the poll promise to offer MSP of Rs 2,500 per quintal would also be realized.
“In the 10 years of AIADMK regime, sugar industries were paralyzed, and sugarcane was cultivated only on 95,000 hectares in a state that saw cultivation on 3.5 lakh hectares. Due to state’s efforts, the area has been increased to 1.5 lakh hectares now,” he said. The state extended a special incentive of Rs 624crore to 3.5lakh cane growers, and extended Rs 940crore towards disaster relief to farmers in the last three years.
The gross cropped area increased to 62.6 lakh hectares from 61.56 lakh hectares under the previous AIADMK regime, due to DMK govt’s efforts, Panneerselvam said. “The double crop area increased to 14.23 lakh hectares in two years while it was 10 lakh hectares in 2020-21,” he said, pointing to additional two lakh power connections given by DMK govt.
Replying to the debate on agriculture budget, the minister said it was prepared after holding consultation and receiving representations from farmers. The state govt has been procuring paddy at prices over and above the minimum support price by giving incentive of Rs 107 per quintal for fine varieties and Rs 82 for other varieties and the poll promise to offer MSP of Rs 2,500 per quintal would also be realized.
“In the 10 years of AIADMK regime, sugar industries were paralyzed, and sugarcane was cultivated only on 95,000 hectares in a state that saw cultivation on 3.5 lakh hectares. Due to state’s efforts, the area has been increased to 1.5 lakh hectares now,” he said. The state extended a special incentive of Rs 624crore to 3.5lakh cane growers, and extended Rs 940crore towards disaster relief to farmers in the last three years.
The gross cropped area increased to 62.6 lakh hectares from 61.56 lakh hectares under the previous AIADMK regime, due to DMK govt’s efforts, Panneerselvam said. “The double crop area increased to 14.23 lakh hectares in two years while it was 10 lakh hectares in 2020-21,” he said, pointing to additional two lakh power connections given by DMK govt.