TN Agriculture Budget 2025: Minister announces special incentive of Rs 349 per MT to sugarcane

CHENNAI: Agriculture Minister MRK Panneerselvam on Saturday announced that eligible farmers who have registered with and supplied sugarcane to sugar mills for the 2024-25 crushing season will be paid, a first time special incentive of Rs 349 per Metric Tonne of Sugarcane over and above the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) fixed by the Union Government.

"This provides a cane price of Rs 3,500 per MT, benefiting about 1.30 lakh sugarcane farmers. An amount of Rs.297 crore will be allocated for this scheme," the Minister said, presenting the budget for 2025-26 in the State Assembly.

The Minister said that, considering the importance of the consumption of traditional varieties of vegetables, a special programme will be implemented to encourage farmers to cultivate traditional varieties of vegetables.

Through this scheme, traditional varieties, viz., Manaparrai Kathari, Sillukodi Kathari, Kulasai Kathari, Periya Kollampatti Kathari, Tharuvai Thakkali, Manjalkudam Thakkali, Anaikomban Vendai, Sivappu Vendai, Siragu Avarai and Mukkuthi Avarai will be encouraged at an outlay of Rs 2.40 crore to promote the cultivation of traditional vegetable varieties.

This scheme will benefit 7,000 farmers cultivating traditional vegetables in 2,500 acres of land.