The Agriculture Budget for the financial year 2026–27 of the Government of Tamilnadu, led by the Chief Minister, C. Joseph Vijay, was presented in the Tamilnadu Legislative Assembly yesterday (06.08.2026) by the Minister for Agriculture, R. Vinoth.
The Agriculture Budget 2026–27 includes several key announcements, such as an allocation of ₹34.72 crore under the State Government's Special Scheme for paddy seed production and distribution subsidy; the launch of the Tamilnadu Millet Mission covering crops such as little millet (Samai), foxtail millet (Thinai), kodo millet (Varagu), and other millets, with an allocation of ₹7.61 crore; an allocation of ₹203.64 crore for achieving self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseed crops; and ₹27 crore for the Cotton Revival Mission. The Budget also provides ₹17.70 crore for promoting agroforestry to ensure permanent greenery in agricultural lands; proposes the establishment of eight new Integrated Agricultural Extension Centres to provide farmers with all agricultural services under one roof; allocates ₹3.56 crore for upgrading the infrastructure of liquid bio-fertilizer production centres; and earmarks ₹2 crore for the distribution of palm seeds and saplings, training programmes, and the establishment of palm product production units; ₹41 crore has been allocated to promote high-tech cultivation practices for enhancing horticultural crop production, while ₹22 crore has been earmarked for establishing onion storage facilities with a total capacity of 57,000 metric tonnes.
The Budget also announces the organisation of a Mega Agricultural Machinery Expo at Thanjavur, an allocation of ₹5.20 crore for the Tamilnadu Farmers' Income Enhancement Commission, the establishment of an Organic Agriculture Diploma College at Sakkottai in Thanjavur district, and a decision to extend crop loans amounting to ₹17,000 crore during the financial year 2026–27, among several other initiatives.
However, the announcements contained in this Agriculture Budget are largely limited to routine schemes and financial allocations. It is disappointing that the Budget does not include any new long-term policy initiatives aimed at taking Tamilnadu's agriculture to the next stage of development. It also lacks sustainable agricultural strategies to address the challenges of climate change, measures to promote value-added agri-industries, initiatives for export-oriented agricultural development, the adoption of modern agricultural technologies and precision farming, and visionary programmes to significantly enhance farmers' incomes. Furthermore, no announcement has been made regarding the enhancement of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy, Tamilnadu's principal food crop, and sugarcane, its major commercial crop, as promised in the election manifesto.
Rather than laying down a transformative roadmap for the future of agriculture, the Tamilnadu Agriculture Budget 2026–27 largely remains a continuation of existing schemes and programmes.