T.N. election: Even as parties promise host of schemes, farmers worried about future of agriculture

A joint family, owning nearly two dozen acres of land in a village near Sattur of Virudhunagar district, grew maize this year. The family spent around ₹ 9 lakh but could earn only ₹ 4 lakh and suffered a loss of ₹ 5 lakh. “Our region is only suitable for dryland agriculture as there is no irrigation through any river network. Of course, it does not rain much. So, if possible, we grow crops like maize, millet or cotton. As an intercrop, we sometimes prefer black gram,” explains an elderly member of the family.

Talking about the economic sustainability of farming, the old man said that although the family had enough financial means to cover this year’s loss, they decided not to farm alone from now on, because the elders were quite sure that the younger members of the family were not willing to do farming.