Chennai, March 23 (IANS) Mounting anger over low paddy procurement prices has pushed Minimum Support Price (MSP) to the centre of electoral discourse in Tamil Nadu, with Cauvery delta farmers indicating that their voting choices in the upcoming Assembly elections will depend on firm assurances from political parties.

Farmer representatives from the delta region have expressed strong dissatisfaction, pointing out that Tamil Nadu provides one of the lowest state incentives in the country. Despite repeated promises across election cycles, successive governments have failed to ensure remunerative pricing for paddy cultivation, leaving farmers struggling to cope with rising input costs.

Referring to past agitations, farmer leaders recalled a 2009 protest in New Delhi when Tamil Nadu farmers demanded fair MSP and better returns. They noted that national parties extended support during that period, but expectations of policy changes after 2014 have largely remained unmet, particularly regarding enhanced incentives.

According to Swamimalai Sundara Vimalanathan, secretary of the Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association, farmers in the state currently receive around Rs 2,545 per quintal for fine paddy and Rs 2,500 for common varieties, including state incentives. In comparison, states such as Chhattisgarh and Odisha provide around Rs 3,100 per quintal with significantly higher bonus payments.

Tamil Nadu’s incentive levels — Rs 156 for fine varieties and Rs 131 for common varieties — are considered insufficient to sustain cultivation, prompting demands for parity with better-paying states.

He also highlighted that several states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and West Bengal, provide annual productivity-linked subsidies ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per acre. Tamil Nadu farmers have consistently sought similar support and are urging political parties to include such measures in their election manifestos.

Farmer leaders reiterated that MSP should be fixed in line with the MS Swaminathan Commission’s recommendation of at least 50 per cent above the comprehensive cost of production, ensuring better returns for cultivators.

They pointed out that while this recommendation is often highlighted during election campaigns, it has not been effectively implemented. Farmers’ association leader P.R. Pandian noted that earlier promises to revise MSP were not implemented in time, resulting in missed opportunities for higher returns.

He also raised concerns over unresolved inter-state water disputes, emphasising that issues related to the Cauvery and Mullaiperiyar Rivers remain critical for irrigation as well as drinking water security in the state.

Meanwhile, other farmer groups have called for improved water storage infrastructure, construction of more check dams across key rivers, comprehensive loan waivers, and pension schemes for farmers above 60 years of age. These demands are expected to play a significant role in shaping voter sentiment in the forthcoming Assembly elections.

–IANS

aal/dpb