PMK founder Dr. S. Ramadoss has called on the Tamil Nadu government to increase the sugarcane procurement price to ₹5,000 per tonne to support farmers. Highlighting the recent hike in procurement prices announced by the Punjab government, he emphasized the disparity faced by Tamil Nadu’s sugarcane cultivators.In a statement, Dr. Ramadoss pointed out that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has set the sugarcane procurement price at ₹4,100 per tonne, the highest in the country. In contrast, Tamil Nadu farmers currently receive only ₹3,150 per tonne, the rate fixed by the central government. Unlike previous years, no additional incentives have been announced by the state government this year, he added.
Dr. Ramadoss recalled that until 2017, sugarcane procurement prices in Tamil Nadu included incentives based on the minimum support price (MSP). For instance, during O. Panneerselvam’s tenure as Chief Minister, an incentive of ₹650 per tonne was provided, raising the effective price to ₹4,150 per tonne. He argued that if this system had been maintained, farmers would have received a fairer price, especially given the rising costs of cultivation.
According to Ramadoss, the current cost of cultivating sugarcane in Tamil Nadu is ₹3,500 per tonne, making the existing procurement price inadequate. He proposed that the central government increase the MSP to ₹4,000 per tonne and urged the state government to provide an additional ₹1,000 as an incentive.
“This would ensure farmers receive ₹5,000 per tonne, which is essential to cover their costs and sustain their livelihoods,” Dr. Ramadoss said, reiterating the importance of supporting the agricultural community in Tamil Nadu.
The call for a price hike aligns with increasing demands from farmers for better compensation amidst rising input costs and economic challenges. Whether the state government will heed this demand remains to be seen.