PERAMBALUR: Lack of specific agrarian plans for the district in the state agricultural budget presented on Saturday has upset farmers who have been seeking key interventions to improve agricultural sustainability, including a GI tag for products, MSP for shallots and support for cotton cultivation. Though the budget presented some general plans for shallots, cotton and maize, farmers demanded more clarity on it.
“If the government granted GI tag for shallots, it would have opened doors to a fair market and protected us from middlemen. Now we are forced to sell shallots at a lower price. Faced with heavy loss, many struggle to continue shallot farming,” S Ragavan, a local farmer, told TNIE.
“Instead of addressing our demands, the government has issued a general plan for shallots. Also, the demand of MSP for shallots remain unaddressed,” Maize farmers are also forced to sell through middlemen at lower prices in the absence of a proper procurement system by the government, said Tamil Nadu Farmers Association district president N Chelladurai.
“The department of agricultural business and marketing is not paying attention to the regulatory market in the district to facilitate auctions between farmers and traders. We are struggling to sell our produce at the right price and are also facing difficulties finding buyers,” he claimed. Also, the budget has failed to address the pressing issues of cotton farmers.
Cotton farming has dwindled due to rising labour and pesticide costs, along with the lack of a proper price and procurement system. “I sowed cotton on three acres but the rain ruined everything. It decreased the cotton price, and we faced a heavy loss. We demand increased support for cotton cultivation,” said D Durai, a cotton farmer from Perambalur. Joint Director of the Agriculture Department in Perambalur, S Babu, was unavailable for a comment.