TN Govt Going Organic Way For Natural Farming

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has announced a series of awareness programmes and initiatives to promote organic and natural farming across the State. These efforts will include the establishment of natural farming clusters, marketing support for organic products, and financial incentives for farmers transitioning to organic practices. State Agriculture Minister MRK Panneerselvam stated that the government has allocated Rs12 crore to implement various activities in 37 districts to encourage organic farming.

As part of the National Mission on Natural Farming, a two-year programme will be launched to establish natural farming clusters, benefiting 7,500 farmers. Additionally, the agriculture department will organise exposure visits for 38,600 higher secondary school and college students to organic farms across Tamil Nadu, aiming to create awareness among the younger generation about sustainable agricultural practices. To encourage farmers, who have achieved organic status, the State will provide financial incentives. Farmers seeking organic certification will be fully exempt from the certification fee, making it easier for them to comply with organic farming standards. The government has also announced the introduction of the ‘Nammazhvar Award’ for the Best Organic Farmer, which will be awarded to three farmers in the 2025-26 financial year. Each recipient will receive a certificate and a cash prize of Rs2 lakh.

To maintain the quality of organically cultivated products, including traditional rice varieties, vegetables, and spices, the government will establish four quality control laboratories at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU). These laboratories, located in Chennai, Thoothukudi, Coimbatore, and Madurai, will help farmers test their organic produce to meet premium market standards. The amount of Rs6.16 crore has been allocated for this initiative. To further support organic farming, an additional Rs 3.5 crore will be invested in the production of

organic manure.