The State Government’s crop loan waiver has disappointed and insulted the farmers, complained farmers’ bodies in Virudhunagar district.Virudhunagar district president of Southern Districts Farmers’ Association, R. Rampandian, has demanded that the TVK Government revisit the crop loan waiver scheme and implement it as per its poll promise.In a statement, he said that even in 2021 the AIADMK Government led by Edappadi K. Palaniswami had waived off ₹12,112 crore of crop loan.However, when the input cost of farming has increased manifold in the last five years, the TVK Government has announced waiver worth ₹2,044 crore.“The were paying through their nose for fertilizer, pesticide, farming operation, weeding activities. Over and above, the farmers were suffering loss due to invasion of wild animals, including wild boars and due to climatic changes,” he said.Farmers were eagerly anticipating the loan waiver as promised by the TVK as they were not getting fair remuneration for their produce. “This is not a meagre loan waiver, but an incentive for the farmers to stay put in farming operation,” said Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam leader, N.A. Ramachandra Raja.The announcement of waiving off a meagre ₹5,000 loan for all those who had got over and above ₹1 lakh crop loan has only insulted the farmers, who are toiling hard to produce food for the country.Besides, the cut-off date of 28 February 2026 as eligibility for farmers to get the crop loan waiver was also unacceptable as farmers had got loans from cooperative societies even in March and April, he said.Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, C. Joseph Vijay, had promised waiver of 100% crop loan for farmers with land holding of 5 acres and below and 50% waiver of crop loan for farmers with more than 5 acres of land holding.“The farmers had voted for TVK believing in the poll promise of Mr. Vijay. However, now only ₹5,000 waiver has been announced for those who have taken loan of more than ₹1 lakh,” said Mr. Rampandian.The waiver of ₹2,044 crore for a huge State like Tamil Nadu is very meagre.When the input cost of farming operation has gone up manifold, citing RBI guidelines for waiver of crop loans will not give justice to the farmers. The Government should instead try to protect the farmers with the State’s own resources, he said. Published - May 28, 2026 05:35 pm IST