MADURAI: In a pre-budget memorandum submitted to Minister of Agriculture M R K Panneerselvam on Thursday, the president of the Agro Food Chamber of Commerce and Industry S Rethinavelu stressed upon various demands, including making agriculture a mandatory subject in school and college curriculum. The forum stated their expectations ahead of the state government's 2023-2024 budget to be tabled in the assembly on March 20.
In the memorandum, the Rethinavelu demanded the government to introduce the 'Ridgeless Cultivation', a method in which the ridges of their small land holdings are removed with the latest technology, on a large span of land of at least 100 acres to achieve high productivity. He also requested the government to set up the millets board just like for coffee. He also added that the GST rates for spices boards and millets products should either be exempted or reduced from 18% to 5%.
"The government should implement the agriculture curriculum as a mandatory subject in schools and colleges and the southern districts should be declared as food processing hubs. Exports should be encouraged too. The marketing committees should be equipped with sufficient warehouses, cold storage facilities and other allied infrastructure. And intra-state river linkage projects should be completed on priority basis and more funds to be allocated," he added.