Latest news with #TamilNaduFarmersAssociation
The Hindu
27-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Farmers seek monetary assistance for crops damage
Farmers who lost crops to natural calamities and were yet to receive compensation for the damage from the government, during the farmers' grievance meeting held here on Friday, demanded the District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon to expedite the disbursal process. Muthuramu, district president, Tamil Nadu Farmers Association, said that farmers who lost crops like paddy, millets, chilly, cotton, and others to excess rains and drought conditions, received the crop insurance amount, but the assistance extended by the State government was yet to be provided to them. An official responding to their queries informed that as ₹38 crores crop insurance amount was already distributed to the affected farmers, they have sought ₹27 crores from the State government to provide monetary assistance to the farmers. Other farmers raised issues of rampant growth of seemai karuvelam on water bodies and vacant lands. Vijayan, a farmer from Malangudi, said that due to the uncontrolled growth of the invasive species, the water level has drastically fallen. 'This not only affects the water supply for drinking purposes and agricultural purposes but also reduces the water holding capacity of the Earth,' he stated. Mr. Simranjeet Singh Kahlon assured the farmers their grievances would be addressed by the respective departments at the earliest.
New Indian Express
26-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Unseasonal rain hits straw demand, TN farmers worried
THANJAVUR: Farmers in Thanjavur district who cultivated summer paddy say the demand for straw has drastically fallen. Though harvest on nearly 45,000 acres has been largely completed, farmers say straw does not get them a good price. One of the reasons cited for the low demand is ample rains across the state and abundance of greenery. 'Very few traders are buying straw. Even those who do offer only around Rs 50 per bundle, whereas last year we got Rs 80,' said R Sukumaran, a farmer from Orathanadu. Officials said summer paddy harvest was nearing completion, adding that farmer concerns over poor straw sales were genuine. Many farmers attribute the reduced demand to the unexpected summer rains, which may have affected the storage and usability of the straw. 'In Ammapettai, the price has dropped to as low as Rs 30- Rs 35 per bundle. This is a huge drop compared to earlier years,' said R Senthilkumar, a farmer and the district deputy secretary of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association. Typically farmers get 50-60 bundles of straw per acre. 'When demand is good, we get even up to Rs 100 per bundle,' said N K Rajan, a farmer from Thanjavur. 'But this season, because of low rates, we are losing nearly Rs 3,000 per acre,' added Senthilkumar. Traders from districts like Salem and Namakkal, who once sourced straw from Thanjavur for mushroom cultivation, seem to be absent this season, another factor contributing to the slump in prices.
New Indian Express
15-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
CPI-backed farmers union unhappy over Tamil Nadu govt's paddy MSP
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Farmers Association, affiliated to the CPI, a DMK ally, has expressed disappointment over the state government's recent announcement of incentive above the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy procurement. In a joint statement, the association's president S Gunasekaran and general secretary and former MLA P S Masilamani, said the incentive announced by Chief Minister MK Stalin on June 12 fell short of expectations of the farmers. The statement recalled that at a government function in Salem, Stalin had announced that for the 2025 procurement season, Grade A paddy will be bought at Rs 2,545 per quintal (including Rs 156 as an incentive), while common variety will be procured at Rs 2,500 (including Rs 131 incentive). The association said this contradicted the DMK's 2021 poll promise to offer Rs 2,500 per quintal as the base price, not inclusive of incentives. With input costs rising and other states like Chhattisgarh offering up to Rs 3,120 per quintal, the association urged the CM to raise the procurement price to at least Rs 3,000 per quintal.
The Hindu
06-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Mango prices fall sharply, farmers demand compensation
As mango farmers in Madurai district face a roadblock in selling their produce to traders due to the abysmally low prices fixed by them, they are demanding compensation or a solution for procurement of fruits at a better price. Though the farmers witnessed lower yields in the last few years, this year farmers enjoyed a good harvest, but they could not reap the benefits, said Jeeva, a farmer from Kesampatti near Melur. He added that the good cultivation could have benefitted them if a fixed and regularised procurement system was in practice. 'I have about 100 trees in three acres of land, and the cultivation was about 25 tonne this year,' he stated. But, the traders, who went to procure the produce wanted them for just Rs.4 per kg, he added. When the procurement price was about Rs.25 per kg last year, this year, the drastic drop in the price has put the farmers in a tight spot, Mr. Jeeva said. 'We hear that as big corporate which procure the kizhimooku variety of mangoes for juices and other products does want to procure them this year, the traders refuse to procure them at good price,' he stated. Opposing the dependence on corporates, he said that when the entire market was dependent on corporate companies, they would be the one to fix prices and manipulate them based on their needs. The Tamil Nadu Farmers Association has urged the Tamil Nadu government to immediately fix a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for mangoes to ensure that growers were not exploited by market forces. Further, they have also demanded compensation for farmers who have suffered losses due to the price crash. Madurai district agricultural officials cited the over production of mangoes as reason for the price crash. As the climate for the growth of mangoes was conducive, the farmers witnessed a good yield, but that has in turn reduced the demand for the fruit, the official stated. However, their demands for compensation and fixation of MSP would all be discussed with the government for further action, the official added.
New Indian Express
30-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
TNCSC delays Rs 600 crore paddy procurement payment to favour private entity: Farmers
MADURAI: Tamil Nadu Farmers Association president P R Pandian on Thursday said the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) has not paid the farmers yet for procuring Rs 600-crore-worth paddy two months ago. He accused Minister for Food and Civil Supplies R Sakkarapani of acting in favour of Arisi Koottamaippu — a private company through which the TNCSC has been procuring commodities from farmers in eight southern districts, except Madurai. During a press briefing in Madurai on Thursday, Pandian said the association would stage a black-flag protest against the minister, who has been deputed by the DMK to carry out election-related works in the region, unless the TNCSC pays the pending amount to the farmers in 10 days. 'Instead of making efforts to pay the farmers, Minister Sakkarapani allegedly attempted to safeguard the Arisi Kuttamaippu, which is owned by one Amrudeen Sheik Dawood,' he claimed. Further, Pandian said the TNCSC, which has been directly procuring paddy from the farmers since 1975, signed an agreement with said private company after the DMK came to power. As per policy, farmers must be paid within 48 hours of procurement, however, they have not been paid even after two months, he added. Responding to the allegations, Minister R Sakkarapani refused to make any comments to TNIE, saying he was unaware of Pandian's speech.
