Nagapattinam’s Farmers Push for Agro-Industry Investment

NAGAPATTINAM: In the fertile heartland of Tamil Nadu, farmers are voicing their frustration over the state agriculture budget, which they say turns a blind eye to the untapped potential of agro-industries. With a rising appetite for value-added farm products, the lack of emphasis on this sector has left them disheartened.

Back in 2021, the Tamil Nadu government unveiled an ambitious vision: the Tamil Nadu Agro-Industrial Corridor, a ₹2,084 crore endeavor slated to transform the agricultural landscape between 2023-24 and 2027-28. Spanning the districts of Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, and Tiruvarur, the corridor promised to elevate agricultural processing and unlock new avenues for value addition. Yet, farmers lament that this grand plan remains largely a paper promise, with tangible progress and funding still elusive.

“The opportunity to capitalize on value-added farm goods is slipping through our fingers,” remarked V. Veerasenan, a prominent voice from the Nasuvini Riverbed Farmers Development Association, highlighting the region's dormant potential.

V. Nathyanarayan, the dynamic general secretary of the Consortium of Cauvery Delta Farmers, amplified this call for action, pressing the government to secure the financial backbone needed to breathe life into the agro-industrial corridor. “It’s time to move beyond announcements and deliver stability for farmers,” he urged.

Latest Millets News