Agri expo draws huge turnout in Madurai

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Visitors to agri expo under way in Maduraj on Saturday. | Photo Credit: G. MOORTHY

The three-day Agritech 2026 exhibition, which began on September 18 at the Ida Scudder auditorium in Velammal campus, drew a large number of farmers and general public from southern districts.

With over 200 stalls displaying gadgets including drones which could sprinkle fertilisers, the expo had information regarding subsidies offered by the Union and State governments for various crops.

The Madurai East Assembly Constituency MLA S Karthikeyan, in his inaugural address, said that the Tamil Nadu government under the leadership of C. Joseph Vijay had announced numerous subsidies and reliefs to the farmers in the budget. The new government had also given waivers to the farmers despite financial crisis, which was due to the failure of the past governments.

The MLA said that the farmers should adapt new techniques and improve their yield which would give them higher returns. He assured to help the farmers’ and the associations as the elected person from Madurai.

Various leaders from the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, MADITSSIA, Agro Food Chamber and Vivasayigal Sangams addressed the sessions.

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Extension Education Director P.P. Murugan said that in the changing climatic conditions being reported around the globe due to various reasons, the farmers should prepare themselves to face the challenges.

Instead of disappointment, they should come out successfully in such crisis. He also appealed to the farmers welfare associations to ensure that the farmers judiciously used the water for irrigation by taking to drip irrigation and other techniques.

After there was severe drop in farm labourers, the introduction of equipment like harvester machine and transplanters had come in handy for a majority of the progressive farmers to manage the situation. Likewise, they should be motivated to learn the nuances of newer technologies introduced and implemented in countries like Israel, Japan, Germany and the USA.

Agritech expo director Packiaraj said that in the last two days, over 12000 people from Madurai, Theni, Dindigul ,Virudhunagar and Sivaganga districts had visited the stalls which would conclude on Sunday.

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