Soil conservation, Kuruvai support get priority in Vijay govt's maiden agri budget

Tamil Nadu Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister R Vinoth on Thursday (August 6) presented the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government’s first full Agriculture Budget for 2026-27 in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.

The agriculture budget, tabled a day after Finance Minister N Marie Wilson presented the state’s general budget under Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, prioritises soil conservation, support for the ongoing Kuruvai season, foodgrain production targets and measures against climate risks, while continuing several existing schemes.

Kuruvai package, contingency plans

Vinoth noted that water levels in the Mettur dam remain low, preventing the scheduled release of water on June 12. In response, the chief minister had announced a special Kuruvai package with an allocation of ₹134.83 crore. Cultivation has been taken up on 8.26 lakh acres under the package this season, he said.

The minister also flagged the expected impact of Super El Niño conditions in Tamil Nadu, particularly in 12 districts, and said the government has prepared integrated contingency and protection plans in coordination with district administrations.

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A five-year target has been set to achieve annual foodgrain production of 131 lakh metric tonnes. For 2026-27, the interim goal is 125 lakh metric tonnes, with parallel efforts to boost pulses, oilseeds, millets, vegetables and fruits for self-sufficiency and nutritional security.

₹600 Cr soil conservation mission

Highlighting soil health as critical, Vinoth said different soil types across the state including black cotton soil (karisal) and red soil, require proper nutrient recycling and reduced dependence on chemical fertilisers.

“Soil fertility must be protected so that beneficial organisms thrive,” he said, announcing the introduction of a comprehensive soil conservation mission estimated at ₹600 crore this year.

The Tamil Nadu Soil Conservation Mission itself has been allocated ₹122.51 crore for 2026-27, with components covering soil health cards for one lakh farmers (₹4 crore), natural farming support, biofertilisers and related interventions.

Other key announcements include ₹203.64 crore for a Self-Sufficiency Mission for pulses and oilseeds, ₹63.81 crore for the Tamil Nadu Millet Mission (under the theme “Ancient Tamil food, enduring healthy living”), ₹7.61 crore to double minor millet cultivation, ₹27.21 crore for a Cotton Revival Mission, ₹36 crore for maize production enhancement, ₹17.70 crore for agroforestry, ₹34.72 crore for paddy seed production and subsidy, ₹2 crore for an AI-powered farmer application offering weather, soil and market advisories, and ₹648.55 crore as the state’s share for the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to cover about 36 lakh acres and 15 lakh farmers across all 37 districts.

Also read: Budget 2026-27: How the government earns and spends every rupee

Free electricity for farmers continues with ₹7,432 crore, while the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department has been allocated ₹14,984 crore overall. A crop loan waiver of ₹5,932 crore benefiting 14.43 lakh farmers was also part of the broader fiscal package.

EPS says agri budget ‘cheats farmers’

The presentation was marked by strong criticism from opposition parties. DMK MLAs arrived at the Assembly wearing black shirts, demanding that the Cauvery delta districts be declared drought-hit, that ₹25,000 per acre relief be provided, and that crop loans be fully waived.

AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami described the budget as one that “cheats farmers,” alleging that the TVK government, like the previous DMK regime, had used the label of a separate agriculture budget to mislead cultivators.

He recalled Chief Minister Vijay’s election promises: ₹4,500 per tonne as the support price for sugarcane, ₹15,000 twice a year as sowing-period assistance for land-owning farmers, and an annual ₹10,000 benefit linked to farmer rights cards.

He noted that none of these found a place in either the general or agriculture budget. Palaniswami also criticised the absence of data on tank restoration (noting that about 24,000 tanks were renovated during AIADMK rule) and any announcement on check dams.

Also read: Why Vijay govt’s Budget promise to raise Mullaperiyar levels has Kerala fuming

He expressed deep disappointment over the complete silence on the Mekedatu and Cauvery water issues, accusing the chief minister of refusing to even speak on the matter despite Karnataka’s statements and the non-receipt of Tamil Nadu’s due share of water in June and July. “This is a matter of pride for the entire state and its people. The chief minister is not a private individual,” he said.

Budget rebrands schemes: Udhayanidhi

Opposition Leader Udhayanidhi Stalin termed it a “disappointing budget” that merely rebranded existing programmes. He reiterated the demand for an all-party meeting on the Cauvery and Mekedatu issues and said the chief minister continued to refuse to speak. The DMK has given an adjournment motion notice to the Speaker to raise the Cauvery issue immediately after Question Hour on Friday, insisting that the chief minister must respond.

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DMDK leader Premalatha Vijayakanth called the budget disappointing for omitting any mention of the 100-day employment scheme, paddy storage godown protection, or major incentives and productivity measures for paddy, sugarcane, banana and coconut. She demanded focused action to remove invasive Prosopis juliflora (karuvela) and reclaim farmland, alleging that the government had merely renamed old schemes without delivering real change.

Questions on MSP, Parandur land

BJP National Mahila Morcha president Vanathi Srinivasan questioned the fate of TVK’s election promises of ₹3,500 per quintal as minimum support price for paddy, ₹4,500 for sugarcane, a monthly pension of ₹3,000 for farmers above 60 years, and ₹15,000 sowing assistance.

Quoting a popular film dialogue about remembering food only when hungry while forgetting the farmers who produce it, she said the government had announced attractive schemes but left farmers’ welfare “to the winds.”

Also read: TN Budget: Critics slam 'Vetri' rebranding of existing welfare schemes

The Parandur airport project also drew sharp criticism. Vijay had earlier visited the area wearing a green towel and assured farmers opposing the project, under which about 1,500 acres were acquired during DMK rule, that TVK would not allow even a handful of agricultural soil to be taken.

After assuming office, the government has made only vague statements about reviewing the project, with no clear official announcement or reference in the agriculture budget, prompting accusations of betrayal from multiple opposition voices.

The government has maintained that the budget was prepared after consulting farmers and exporters and aligns with the chief minister’s long-term vision for agricultural development, while ensuring continuity of beneficial schemes. Implementation guidelines for the new missions are expected to be issued shortly through the Department of Agriculture.