A State-level consultative meeting with farmers and those engaged in agriculture-related occupations, on the Agriculture Budget Statement 2026-27, organised by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, was held under the chairmanship of the Hon'ble Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Thiru R. Vinoth. The meeting, held on the theme of the Agriculture Budget Statement 2026-27, took place today, 27.07.2026, at the Anna Centenary Library Convention Hall, Chennai, in the presence of the Hon'ble Minister for Rural Development and Water Resources, Thiru N. Anand, under the chairmanship of the Hon'ble Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Thiru R. Vinoth. The meeting was attended by the following Hon'ble Ministers: 1. Hon'ble Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, Thiru K.A. Sengottaiyan; 2. Hon'ble Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Thiru P. Sengottaiyan (Sengodaraman); 3. Hon'ble Minister for Handlooms, Textiles and Khadi, Thiru M. Vijay Balaji; 4. Hon'ble Minister for Cooperation, Thiru Ve. Gandhiraj; 5. Hon'ble Minister for Milk and Dairy Development, Smt. C. Vijayalakshmi; 6. Hon'ble Minister for MSME, Thiru Po. Mathan Raja; 7. Hon'ble Minister for Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare, Thiru Srinath; 8. Hon'ble Minister for Animal Husbandry, Smt. S. Kamali; 9. Hon'ble Minister for Forests, Thiru R.V. Ranjith Kumar; and 10. Hon'ble Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Thiru V.K. Rajiv. Also participating were Additional Chief Secretary, MSME Department, Thiru Pradeep Yadav IAS; Additional Chief Secretary, Cooperation, Food and Consumer Protection Department, Smt. P. Amudha IAS; Chief Secretary, Water Resources Department, Thiru Sathyabrata Sahu IAS; Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Department, Smt. Anuja George IAS; Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Thiru Palanisamy IAS; Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Smt. G. Latha IAS; Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation, Smt. Shilpa Prabhakar IAS; Secretary (Expenditure), Finance Department, Thiru N. Venkatesh IAS; Joint Secretary, Finance Department, Thiru Kamal Kishore IAS; and Director of Fisheries, Thiru Vijayakarthikeyan IAS. Also present at the meeting were Agriculture Production Commissioner and Secretary to Government, Dr. Po. Sankar IAS; Commissioner of Sugar, Thiru R. Kannan IAS; Director of Agricultural Marketing and Agri-Business, Thiru Chandrasekhar Samuri IAS; Director of Agriculture, Dr. K.V. Muralidharan IAS; Director of Horticulture and Plantation Crops, Dr. Smt. J. Vijayarani IAS; and Chief Engineer, Agricultural Engineering Department, Thiru R. Murugesan. The meeting was also attended by farmers and persons engaged in agriculture-related occupations, representatives of farmers' associations, agri-produce traders and exporters, dairy processors, poultry farmers' associations, inland fishermen's associations, food processors, agri-entrepreneurs, representatives of NABARD, representatives of other banks, and members of small enterprise associations. Agriculture Production Commissioner and Secretary to Government, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Dr. Po. Sankar IAS, welcomed the gathering. In his presidential address, the Hon'ble Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Thiru R. Vinoth, stated: With the participation of the people of Tamil Nadu, the aim of this people's Government, led by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru C. Joseph Vijay, is to formulate agricultural policy centred on the welfare of farmers and the future growth of agriculture in the State. Towards that objective, ahead of preparing the Agriculture Budget Statement for 2026-2027, the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu directed that consultative meetings be held to obtain the views of farmers, farmers' associations, agricultural experts and representatives of various agriculture-related institutions. Accordingly, 4 zonal-level consultative meetings have been held so far, and the views of farmers from 37 districts (excluding Chennai) have been collected and presented to the Hon'ble Chief Minister. I extend my thanks to everyone who has come to participate in this State-level meeting held today in Chennai, as a continuation of that process. "If the farmer thrives, the world thrives" is not a mere proverb; it is the lifebreath of Tamil Nadu. The grain that ripens through the sweat of our farmers fulfils the food needs of the people. To help such esteemed farmers increase their yield and raise their income, the Agriculture Budget Statement will be prepared after hearing the views of all stakeholders, covering countless schemes ranging from agricultural inputs, irrigation facilities across the State, natural farming, mechanisation, market access, crop insurance, and price protection. Special attention will be given in this Agriculture Budget Statement to soil health improvement, water management, agricultural market reforms, creating opportunities for youth in agriculture, crop productivity, price protection for farmers' produce, and the spread of modern agricultural technologies. Even before presenting the Agriculture Budget Statement, our Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, who has always taken special interest in farmers' welfare, has announced a special Kuruvai scheme worth Rs. 134.83 crore to promote Kuruvai cultivation in the Cauvery Delta and non-Delta districts. Further, despite a severe financial crunch, taking a compassionate view of farmers' demands, he ordered the waiver of crop loans worth about Rs. 6,000 crore for 14,43,000 farmers. Since our Government assumed office, in order to meet the State's food requirements, a foodgrain production target of 1,31,36,000 metric tonnes has been set for 2026-2027, and various initiatives are being undertaken to achieve it. The Government is taking vigorous steps to achieve this target through expanding the area under cultivation, raising crop productivity, promoting modern technologies, increasing the use of farm machinery, and spreading sustainable agricultural practices. This Government, led by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, will ensure that farmers receive fair and remunerative prices for their produce. Additionally, to reduce the impact of market fluctuations, cold storage facilities, warehousing, and post-harvest infrastructure will be continuously upgraded. He said this Government would support greater participation of youth and women in agriculture. This Government is firmly committed to the large-scale adoption of "emerging" technologies in agriculture. In that regard, this Government will ensure the extensive use of drones, artificial intelligence and other technologies in agriculture. Since this year has been declared an El Niño year, he requested all farmers to insure their crops through crop insurance to avoid income loss. He further stated that every petition submitted by farmers would be considered as the request of a family member, and that all Government officials must extend full support to provide solutions. "Your experiences are our best guide. This consultative meeting held today is not a mere formality. It is a democratic platform that will directly reflect your voice in the Government's Agriculture Budget Statement. Every view, every suggestion and every request you make will be considered with great care, and necessary action will be taken to implement schemes that can be executed immediately in this financial year, and others progressively in the years to come," he stated. The Hon'ble Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, Thiru K.A. Sengottaiyan, stated: With the aim of providing good and honest governance in Tamil Nadu, this administration is functioning under the leadership of the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He said all Ministers would strive to bring everyone's views to the Chief Minister's attention and ensure their implementation. The Hon'ble Minister for Animal Husbandry, Smt. S. Kamali, stated that the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Animal Husbandry would work together to advance the economic well-being of farmers. All the farmers, agri-produce exporters and traders, and other participants who took part in the meeting shared their constructive views. Director of Agriculture, Dr. K.V. Muralidharan IAS, proposed the vote of thanks to conclude the event. Issued By: - DIPR, Secretariat, Chennai – 9