AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has lambasted the Tamil Nadu state government, led by the DMK, for its failure to fulfill several promises made to the agricultural sector. In a scathing critique, Palaniswami described the recently presented State Agriculture Budget as lacking in substance and criticized the government for neglecting the needs of farmers.Addressing reporters, Palaniswami highlighted the government’s failure to honor assurances made regarding the procurement prices of essential crops. He pointed out that promises to procure sugar cane at ₹4,000 a tonne and paddy at ₹2,500 a quintal had not been fulfilled, leaving farmers disillusioned and financially strained. Additionally, issues concerning copra farmers had been overlooked, further exacerbating the challenges faced by agricultural communities.
Palaniswami also raised concerns about the lack of provisions in the budget for farmers who suffered crop losses during the Kuruvai cultivation season last year. He emphasized that had the government ensured coverage of crops under the insurance scheme, affected farmers would have received compensation amounting to ₹84,000 per hectare. Similarly, he called for the provision of a solatium of ₹35,000 per acre for those who incurred losses while cultivating paddy during the Samba-Thaladi season.