CHENNAI: The cooperation department on Tuesday announced farmers who are not members of cooperative societies can also purchase seeds and fertilisers at subsidised rates from 4,400 primary agricultural cooperative credit societies (PACCS).
According to an official press note, subsidised seeds and fertilisers were so far being supplied only to farmers who availed crop loans from cooperative societies and banks. The department has now decided to allow all farmers to purchase seeds and fertilisers from the point-of-sale counters at PACCS, irrespective of whether they have taken crop loans or are members. The move is aimed at boosting cultivation across the state, said sources.
“The farmers were required to submit their chitta and adangal documents to establish that the land parcels were under cultivation and purchase the fertilisers at the maximum retail price (MRP),” the statement added.
The Tamil Nadu Cooperative Marketing Federation (TANFED), under the cooperation department, acts as a wholesaler of fertilisers and distributes fertilisers and other agricultural inputs through PACCS. The union government allocates subsidised fertilisers to the state, which are distributed by TANFED to cooperative societies.
During 2025-26, the Union Government allocated 29.4 lakh tonnes of fertilisers to Tamil Nadu, of which 12.65 lakh tonnes was allocated to cooperative societies. In addition, the cooperatives procured fertilisers from private companies too. TANFED also supplied 122.87 tonnes of quality seeds through cooperative societies during 2026-27, as of July 31.