Agriculture in Tamil Nadu
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Agriculture in Tamil Nadu
Agriculture is the most predominant sector of the economy of Tamil Nadu, a state in India. 70% of the states population is engaged in agriculture and allied activities for their livelihood.[1] Tamil Nadu has as an area of 1.3 Lakh km2 with a gross cropped area of around 58.43 lakh hectares of which the Gross Irrigated Area is 33.09 lakh hectares which is 57% and the balance 43% of the area are under rainfed cultivation.[2] Tamil Nadu is the home land of Dr M.S. Swaminathan, known as the "Father of the Green Revolution" in India. The state is historically known for its agriculture from ancient times. Annual food grains production in the year 2007-08 was 100.35 lakh mt.[3] But now this is steadily declining due to industrialisation, growth of real estate business and migration of the younger generation out of villages for education and white collar jobs.
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Important crops
The principal food crops are rice, maize, jowar (cholam), bajra (cumbu), ragi, and pulses (Bengalgram, Redgram, Greengram, Blackgram and Horsegram). The cash crops include cotton, sugarcane, oilseeds, coffee, tea, rubber, coconut, gingelly and chillies. The important horticultural products are bananas and mangoes.[4]The state is the largest producer of bananas,[5] flowers,[6] tapioca,[6] the second largest producer of mangoes,[6] natural rubber,[7] coconut,[8] groundnut and the third largest producer of coffee,[9] sapota,[6] tea[10] and sugarcane.[11] Tamil Nadu's sugarcane yield per hectare is the highest in India.[11] The state has 17,000 hectares of land under oil palm cultivation, the second highest in India.[12] Paddy is grown in large excess because rice is the main staple food of the state. There are three crops based on duration. The first one is the ‘Kuruvai’ (the short term crop) with duration of three and a half to four months from June to July to Oct - Nov. The second crop is called the ‘Thaladi’ that grown in 5 to 6 months Oct - Nov to Feb - March. Third is 'Samba' and has a duration of almost 6 months from Aug to January.[4]
Horticulture
Tamil Nadu with Seven agro-climatic conditions and varied soil types is better placed for production of Fruits, Vegetables, Spices, Plantation crops, Flowers, Medicinal and Aromatic plants.[13] Horticulture is the fastest growing sector within agriculture in Tamil Nadu. About 10.96 lakh ha. is covered under various horticultural crops.[13] The total production of horticultural crops is 192.28 lakh MT.[13] In terms of production, Tamil Nadu accounts for 10% in fruits and 6% in vegetables, in India.[14] Horticulture is an important segment of Agriculture sector which contributes about one - fifth share in the economy of Agriculture and allied sectors.[13] Mango and Banana are the leading fruit crops in Tamil Nadu accounting for over 87% of the total fruit production. The main vegetables grown are Tapioca, Tomato, Onion, Brinjal and Drumstick. Tamil Nadu is also a leading state in the production of flowers with the total production of horticultural crops standing at 
99.47 Lakhs during 2003-04. The main flowers grown in Tamil Nadu are Jasmine, Mullai, Chrysanthemum, Marigold and Rose.
Horticulture training centres
The horticulture training centres functioning in Tamil Nadu are:[13]
- Kudumianmalai (Pudukkottai district)
- Madhavaram (Thiruvallur district)
- Thali (Krishnagiri district)
- Ooty (The Nilgiris)
Sugar industry
Sugar Industry is an Agro-based industry and Sugarcane is cultivated by about 5 Lakhs farmers in Tamil Nadu. The registered Sugarcane crop is cultivated in an area of 2.5 to 3.0 Lakh Hectares constituting about 2% of the total cultivable area.[15] Tamil Nadu's sugarcane yield per hectare is the highest in India.[11]
Sugar mills in Tamil Nadu
There are 41 Sugar Mills in Tamil Nadu: 16 Sugar Mills in Co-operative Sector, 3 Sugar Mills in Public Sector, and 22 Sugar Mills in Private Sector. Presently 38 Sugar Mills are functioning while 3 mills viz. Madurantakam Co-operative Sugar Mill (from 2001-02 season) Madura Sugars(from 2002-03 season) and Arunachalam Sugar Mills (from 2003-04 season) are not functioning.[15]
Animal husbandry
Main article: Animal husbandry in Tamil Nadu
The livelihoods of most rural and low income communities in Tamil Nadu are to a large extent based on agriculture / livestock / poultry. The Animal Husbandry sector plays a vital role in providing subsidiary employment to rural folk and guaranteed household income to landless agricultural labourers, small and marginal farmers. The Milk production which was 55.60 lakh tonnes during 2006 07 increased to 56.73 lakh tonnes during 2008-09, an increase of 2%. Likewise, during the same period, the estimated Egg production increased from 8041.521 million numbers to 8809.774 million numbers, an increase of 10%.[16] Estimated Meat production increased from 220 million kg in 2006-07 to 419 million kg in 2008-09, an increase of 90%.[16] During the year 2008-09, the per capita availability of milk is 235 grams per day and egg is 133 numbers per annum.[16]
Livestock
During the year 2008–09, the gross value of output of livestock in the State was 14,489.98 crores.[16] The contribution of livestock sector to the Gross State Domestic Product is 2.88% and to the agriculture and allied activities it is 26.89%. The value of leather and leather products exported from Tamil Nadu was 5,827.51 crores.[16] The State contributes 5.23 % of total milk production and 15.83% of total egg production and stands 9th in milk production and 2nd in egg production in the country. The total area available for grazing in the State is 1.10 lakh hectares.[16]
Poultry
Poultry rearing which had been a cottage industry all along has now become a big industry by itself in many places in the districts of Namakkal, Salem, Erode and Coimbatore. There is a good potential for export of eggs, egg products and frozen chicken meat from the State to Gulf countries, Russia etc.[16] The Tamil Nadu poultry industry contributes 16.5% of country’s total poultry export.[16]
Fisheries
Fish is a source of healthy food for humanity at large. Historically, Fishing has been a major source of livelihood for coastal and inland fishing communities. In recent years, fisheries have become an important economic activity and contribute to significant growth in nutritional security, employment generation and foreign exchange earnings. Tamil Nadu is one of the important coastal States in the East coast, Tamil Nadu is having a coastline of 1076 km. It has 13 Coastal Districts and 591 fishing villages with 363 fish landing centres. Tamil Nadu ranks third in Marine fish production and the annual marine fish catch for the year 2008-09 was 3.97 lakh tonnes.[17] During 2008-09, about 68,397 M.T. of marine products valued at 1,77,220.00 lakhs was exported from Tamil Nadu.[17]
Dairy
Milk is the prime product of Dairying. India is the largest milk producing country in the World, in which Tamil Nadu is one of the frontline States in milk production and ranks as number one in the country in the coverage of more than 50% of revenue villages under Co-operative ambit.[18] There are 8246 functional primary milk societies with 22.29 lakhs members.[18]
Governance
The Central and Tamil Nadu State Government is continuously taking efforts to make Agriculture which is a primary sector, as a growth engine for economic development of the State. During 2006-07 the State Government have waived agriculture loan obtained from Co operative Banks to the tune of 6,866 crores.[19] The Government of India during 2007-08 waived agricultural loan obtained from Commercial Banks at national level amounting to 60,000 crores. Out of which 2,843.90 crores waived for the agriculture loan obtained by Tamil Nadu farmers from Commercial Banks.[19]
State support for agriculture
The major initiatives undertaken by the Government of Tamil Nadu to achieve the targeted agricultural production during 2009-10 are listed below:- [2]
- Adoption of System of Rice Intensification technology .
- Promotion of Precision Farming - adoption of drip fertigation with all scientific practices.
- Restoration of Soil Health – Need based Macro and Micro Nutrient application as per Soil Health Card recommendations.
- Quality seed supply – Promotion of newly released High Yielding / Hybrids. Special steps to enhance the availability of quality pulses seeds and oilseeds.
- Encouraging production of Vermi Compost at Farm Hold Level and Municipal Compost production and Bio-input production by Self Help Groups for enriching soil health besides promoting green manuring and use of bio-fertilizers.
- Promotion of Micro Irrigation – especially for high water intensive crops like sugarcane and coconut
- Special focus to enhance the productivity of pulses through DAP spraying / Micro Nutrient application and timely plant protection.
- Steps to promote soil and moisture conservation measures, compartmental bunding, establishsing farm ponds and adoption of dryland development technologies to enhance productivity of rainfed crops, besides distribution of machineries suitable for rainfed condition.
- Farm Mechanization - Distribution of machineries to overcome the problem of labour scarcity.
- Technology dissemination through private extension and input supply by establishing Agri Clinics with soil testing facilities in all the blocks.
- Empowerment of farm women groups technologically, socially, and economically by involving them to take up entrepreneurial activities.[2]
Agricultural marketing and Agri-business
Agriculture sector needs ‘well-functioning Market’ to drive growth, employment and economic prosperity. The Department of Agricultural Marketing, which is functioning since 1977 enhance many activities, some of them are:[20]
- Establishment and maintenance of Uzhavar Sandhais for the benefit of farmers as well as consumers.
- Establishment and maintenance of regulated markets to facilitate marketing of agricultural produce for the benefit of the farming community.
- Creating awareness among the farmers about the benefits of grading, marketing, value addition and processing their produce through regulated markets by taking up training, publicity and propaganda.
- Agmark grading of agricultural, animal husbandry and forestry products for the benefit of the consumers.
- Setting up Agriculture Export Zones for promoting export of agricultural produce by increasing the area under exportable crops and also providing necessary post harvest management and other infrastructure required and information on prices prevailing at international markets as an integrated approach. Dissemination of market price information of various districts through media and internet on a daily basis for the benefit of farming community.
- Promotion of Food Processing to minimize wastage of agricultural products and to increase employment opportunities.[20]
Agriculture in Tamil literature
| However they roam the world must follow still the plougher’s team; Though toilsome, culture of the ground as noblest toil esteem. |
See also
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ a b c [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ a b [4]
- ^ Banana Production Statistics.
- ^ a b c d National Horticulture Mission Action Plan for Tamil Nadu.
- ^ "Rubber Statistical News" – Rubber Board.
- ^ Coconut statistical info from IndiaCommodity.com.
- ^ ": Coffee Board of India – Coffee Data :". Indiacoffee.org. 2009-09-18. Archived from the original on 15 October 2009. http://indiacoffee.org/indiacoffee.php?page=CoffeeData#area. Retrieved 2009-09-23.
- ^ "Production Of Tea In India During And Upto August, 2002 – TeaAuction.com.
- ^ a b c Sugar statistical info from IndiaCommodity.com.
- ^ Oil Palm Sector in India – World Wildlife Fund – India.
- ^ a b c d e [5]
- ^ National Horticulture Mission – Action Plan for Tamil Nadu.
- ^ a b [6]
- ^ a b c d e f g h [7]
- ^ a b [8]
- ^ a b [9]
- ^ a b [10]
- ^ a b [11]
Gallery
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Agriculture in Tamil Nadu |
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Jackfruit Tree in Tamil Nadu
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Paddy fields across the backdrop of the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu
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Paddy field ready to harvest in Tamil Nadu
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