Farmers in Thoothukudi Demand MSP for Rabi Maize Amid Price Drop

Farmers in Thoothukudi district are facing financial distress due to a significant drop in maize prices. They are urging the Union government to extend the Minimum Support Price (MSP) to Rabi maize, as current market rates fail to cover production costs. With an increase in maize cultivation area this year, farmers fear prices may fall further as harvesting intensifies. Local leaders are advocating for MSP inclusion to protect growers from exploitation, while officials have submitted a proposal to the government for consideration. The situation highlights the urgent need for support in the agricultural sector.

By Narendra Chaudhary Feb 7, 2026, 13:20 IST

Farmers Seek Support Amid Falling Prices

Chennai, Feb 7: Farmers in the rain-fed regions of Thoothukudi district are calling on the Union government to expand the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system to include maize cultivated during the Rabi season. They are expressing concerns that a significant drop in market prices has led to severe financial strain.

Currently, private traders are purchasing maize at approximately ₹1,800 per quintal, a notable decrease from last year's Rabi season price of around ₹2,500 per quintal, which is insufficient to cover production costs.

As harvesting is expected to ramp up in the upcoming weeks, farmers are worried that prices may decline even further. This year, the area dedicated to maize cultivation has increased significantly, with nearly 1.85 lakh acres planted, compared to 1.5 lakh acres last season.

The surge in production has created an oversupply in local markets, further driving down prices. Harvesting activities are ongoing in various taluks, including Ottapidaram, Ettayapuram, Vilathikulam, Pudur, Kovilpatti, and Kayathar.

R. Muthuraj, a farmer from a village near Kovilpatti, stated that the current prices do not even cover essential production costs such as seeds, fertilizers, labor, and irrigation.

He remarked, “Selling at this price means we are only facing losses. There’s no profit left for us.”

Another farmer, S. Rajendran from Vilathikulam, cautioned that prices could drop even lower as peak arrivals are expected in March. He noted that many small farmers lack the storage facilities needed to hold their produce and wait for better prices.

Although the Union government has set an MSP of ₹2,400 per quintal for maize for the 2025–26 kharif season, farmers in Tamil Nadu argue that this is largely irrelevant since maize is primarily grown as a Rabi crop in the state.

Local farmers' association leaders have requested that the MSP be extended to Rabi maize as well. They believe that including maize in the MSP framework would allow regulated markets to procure the crop through government agencies, similar to pulses, thus safeguarding farmers from exploitation.

Officials from the regional regulated market committee have confirmed that a proposal has been submitted to the Union government to seek MSP coverage for Rabi maize, indicating that procurement can only commence following formal notification and Cabinet approval.