Tamil Nadu farmers welcome paddy and sugarcane incentive hikes

Farmers in the delta region of Tamil Nadu have welcomed the state government's announcement of increased incentives for paddy and sugarcane. Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced an incentive of Rs 289 per quintal for fine variety paddy and Rs 159 per quintal for common variety paddy. These increases bring the total procurement prices to Rs 2,750 per quintal for fine variety and Rs 2,600 for common variety.

For sugarcane, the government fixed an incentive of Rs 709.50 per tonne, bringing the total price to Rs 4,000 per tonne for the 2025-26 crushing season. While agricultural associations expressed gratitude for the hike, they noted that the amounts fall short of the promises made in the TVK manifesto, which cited Rs 3,500 per quintal for paddy and Rs 4,500 per tonne for sugarcane.

Farmers highlighted that these incentives are necessary due to rising production costs, specifically citing sharp increases in fertilizer and diesel prices. Some representatives urged the government to fulfill its full campaign promises in future crushing periods as the state's financial position improves.