Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister R. Vinoth presenting the Agriculture Budget in the Assembly on Thursday, August 6, 2026.
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Tamil Nadu Soil Fertility Mission will be implemented across the state at an estimated outlay of ₹600 crore over five years to improve soil quality, Agriculture Minister Vinoth R announced in the Agriculture Budget presented in the Assembly on Thursday. An allocation of ₹122 crore has been earmarked for the scheme this year.
The budget said the continuous use of chemical fertilizers, poor crop residue management, and improper biomass recycling have reduced soil organic carbon, adversely affecting soil health and crop productivity. To address these issues, the Government of Tamil Nadu is launching the Tamil Nadu Soil Fertility Mission. The mission will focus on increasing the population of beneficial soil micro-organisms, reclaiming alkaline and saline soils, reducing the use of chemical fertilizers, and promoting natural and organic farming practices.
Under the mission, one lakh farmers will be issued Soil Health Cards, with an allocation of ₹4 crore from the state’s own resources. In addition, Soil Health Cards will be provided to about three lakh farmers who have obtained a Farmer Identification Number (FID), at a total outlay of ₹6.16 crore shared by the Union and State Governments.
To increase the population of beneficial soil micro-organisms that help maintain soil fertility, the Government of Tamil Nadu will distribute liquid biofertilizers over an area of one lakh acres at a cost of ₹4.50 crore.
The Agriculture Budget allocated Rs. 10 crore for establishing permanent vermicompost production units to support organic farming. To reclaim alkaline and saline soils, soil amendment demonstrations will be conducted on 2,000 acres at an outlay of ₹2 crore, the budget states.
During 2026–27, the Tamil Nadu Soil Fertility Mission will be implemented with 10 components at a total outlay of ₹122.51 crore.
Published – August 06, 2026 07:35 pm IST
