CHENNAI: Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare MRK Panneerselvam, in his reply to the debate on the Agriculture Budget for 2025-26, announced the state would soon launch ‘Uzhavar Aluvalar Thodarbu Thittam (Farmer Official Connect Scheme) 2.0’ to enhance coordination between farmers and agricultural officers. He added that paddy procurement price will be increased from Rs 2,450 per quintal to Rs 2,500.
The minister announced that an environment park will be established by state tourism department at the Racecourse ground in the Nilgiris with Rs 70 crore funding from the centre.
Over four years, he said, 28 consultation meetings were held, engaging 4,478 farmers. Based on their inputs, 2,535 demands were raised, of which 1,166 have been fulfilled. Also, he said nearly 5.35 crore people have benefited from the incumbent government’s welfare measures.
He said during the last AIADMK regime, 434.29 lakh metric tonnes of grains were produced, whereas, in the last four years, it has risen to 456.39 lakh metric tonnes. The productivity per hectare, averaged at 2,876 kg during the AIADMK rule, increased to 2,980 kg in the past three years, he said.