Chennai: It is no more a passe'. Organic farming has not only gained the acceptance of the state, it has become the new thrust area in Tamil Nadu along with the expansion of millet cultivation and consumption. While setting a target of 127 lakh metric tonnes of food grain production by expanding the cultivable area, the agricultural budget proposes to form 725 clusters covering an area of 14,500 hectares in 32 districts.
In his third agri-budget with an outlay of Rs 38,904 crore, Agriculture Minister MRK Panneerselvam said a special scheme will be implemented at a cost of Rs 50 crore in the Nilgiris district of the western ghats over five years to 'massively promote' organic farming. Further, Rs 26 crore has been earmarked to extend assistance for organic farming certification for 10,000 hectares. Further Rs one crore had been allocated to provide financial assistance of Rs one lakh each to 100 farmer groups engaged in the production and sale of organic inputs.
In addition, Rs 5 crore has been allotted for the creation of awareness on reducing chemical fertilizers, popularising organic farming practices, registration of Organic Certification, and creating markets for produce.
In honor of Nammazhvar, who dedicated his whole life to touring the length and breadth of the state to promote organic farming, the government will institute an award in his name to be given on Republic Day every year. The cash award of Rs 5 lakh with a citation will be presented to the farmers who not only practice and promote organic farming but also handhold fellow organic farmers, the minister said.
Emphasizing the health benefits of traditional paddy varieties, Panneerselvam said native varieties like Thuyamalli, Seeraga Samba, Mappilai Samba, Karuppu Kavuni, Kichli Samba, Thanga Samba, and Keerai Samba will be produced in 200 acres in government seed farms for distribution to farmers and subsidized rates under the Nel Jayaraman Traditional Rice Varieties Conservation Mission.
Further, 10 farmers who have Traditional Seed Banks will be given 30 lakh at the rate of Rs 3 lakh each to encourage the maintenance of ethnic purity. Nel Jayaraman was a farmer and a lifelong crusader for preserving native paddy varieties and to his credit, he had revived over 170 native varieties.
In a lighter vein, the minister said, the consumption of Mappillai Samba will make one a 'Mappillai' (bridegroom), and Thanga Samba will turn one into gold (Thangam). At this, Speaker M Appavu said, “Give us we are ready,” turning the House into a peal of laughter.
Turning his attention to millet cultivation, the minister said in tune with the UN declaration of 2023 as the 'International Year of Millets', the Tamil Nadu Millet Mission will be implemented for a period of five years. Under this scheme, a subsidy will be given for bringing fallow lands under millet cultivation and crop diversification in 50,000 acres.
A hundred groups of millet producers will be formed and subsidy will be extended to install sprinkle irrigation to raise millets on 12,500 acres and to farmer producer groups to set up Millet Processing Centres for selling value-added millets. This scheme will be implemented with the financial assistance of the Union and State governments at an estimated cost of Rs 82 crore. Further, In order to popularise millet consumption, millet festivals will be conducted and millet-based food will be included in government institutions and hostels of educational institutions as well as farmers' bazaars.
With the aim of making agricultural graduates self-reliant and evolving as entrepreneurs, financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh will be extended to 200 young agriculture and horticulture graduates to establish agri-clinics or any other related business.
To make villages self-reliant, the 'Kalaignarin All Village Integrated Agriculture Development Program' is being implemented in 2504 village panchayats at an outlay of Rs 230 crore. Further, to obviate the need for farmers to run from pillar to post, a new portal named GRAINS (Grower Online Registration of Agriculture Input System) is being introduced in which the basic details of landowners and cultivators, land details, and crop cultivation will be collected and digitized. This platform will enable farmers to avail various schemes.
