CHENNAI: With the Union Budget for 2025-26 set to be presented on 1st February, farmer unions and agricultural activists have voiced their key expectations, including a minimum support price (MSP) for all agricultural produce, substantial funding for natural farming, increased cold storage facilities for horticulture produce, solar power panels, interlinking of rivers, and the deployment of MGNREGS workers for agricultural work.
KP Perumal, State Secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, criticised the current MSP system, stating that it applies to only 23 commodities and does not even cover 50% of production costs. He emphasised the need to implement the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Commission, which proposed that MSP should ensure at least a 50% profit margin over the comprehensive cost of production. He also urged the Union government to waive farmers' loans, alleging that loan waivers have so far been extended only to corporates.
V Jeevakumar, an agricultural activist from Thanjavur district, called for a major boost to organic farming. "A significant increase in funds and the creation of marketing facilities will go a long way in encouraging farmers to switch to organic farming," he said.
Acknowledging the government's push for agricultural mechanisation, he noted that many farmers cannot afford modern equipment. "The government should either provide necessary equipment to farmers or ensure at least a 50% subsidy if farmers wish to rent them from private players," he added.
VS Dhanapathi, an organic farmer from Pudukkottai district and General Secretary of the Farmers Forum of India, pointed out that the BJP had promised the interlinking of the Godavari and Cauvery rivers and the implementation of the MS Swaminathan report.
"However, these promises remain unfulfilled," he said. He also stressed the urgent need for additional godowns and cold storage facilities for paddy and vegetables, highlighting the difficulties faced by farmers due to the current shortage. Additionally, he urged the government to permit MGNREGS workers to be employed in private farms, with two-thirds of their daily wages covered by the government.
Highlighting the challenges faced by farmers in Tamil Nadu, he stated that over 5 lakh farmers are awaiting power connections. He urged the Union government to allocate more funds for the installation of solar panels to address the power crisis in agriculture.
V Kirubakaran, a farmer member of the Renukambal Farmer Producer Company in Santhavasal, Tiruvannamalai district, raised concerns regarding crop insurance. "A key grievance among farmers is that despite paying a premium for crop insurance, they are often denied claims by insurance companies," he said.
He also highlighted the challenges faced by banana and coconut farmers in his region. "In our area, banana cultivation is widespread. In the past, horticulture inputs, including organic fertilisers, were provided to farmers, but this has now stopped. The government had promised to establish a factory for producing value-added banana products for export, but this has not yet materialised. Similarly, tomato prices fluctuate frequently. If the government sets up a processing facility for making tomato-based products such as sauces, it would greatly benefit farmers," he said.
Despite the sharp rise in coconut prices, he noted that local farmers have not benefited. "Traders are procuring coconuts for just ₹10 per piece. The government should procure bananas and coconuts just as it does with paddy," he urged.
Farmers across Tamil Nadu continue to push for these demands, hoping the upcoming budget will address their long-standing grievances and provide the much-needed financial and infrastructural support to the agricultural sector.