Blockwise Cropping Area distribution.
Paddy, Groundnut, Sugarcane and Black Gram are among the top three crops with respect to the area of cultivation against the blocks, Cumbu, Maize, Tapioca, Gingelly and Chillies are the other minor crops cultivated in the crops.
| Block |
Major Crops |
Minor Crops |
| Chetpet |
Paddy, Groundnut Sugarcane |
Ragi, Redgram and Cowpea |
| Kalasapakkam |
Paddy, Groundnut Sugarcane |
Cumbu, Tapioca, Cowpea |
| Kilpenathur |
Groundnut, Paddy, Blackgram |
Maize, Chillies and Gingelly |
| Thellar |
Paddy, Groundnut and Sugarcane |
Chillies, Cowpea and Ragi |
| Thurinjapuram |
Paddy, Groundnut and Blackgram |
Ragi, Chillies and Cowpea |
| Vandavasi |
Paddy, Groundnutand Sugarcane |
Ragi, Chillies and Cowpea |
Chetpet: Paddy (16000 ha), Groundnut (5000 ha) and Sugarcane(1900ha) are the major crops in terms of area of cultivation. Ragi(400ha), Redgram(110ha) and Cowpea & Greengram(75ha) are the minor crops widely cultivated.
Kalasapakkam: Paddy (13900ha), Groundnut (3000ha) and Sugarcane(1900ha) are the major crops in terms of area of cultivation. Other minor crops widely cultivated are Cumbu(325ha), Tapioca(190ha) and Cowpea(80ha) in the block.
Kilpenathur: The major crops widely cultivated are Groundnut (7800ha), Paddy (4700ha) and Blackgram (3600ha) in the block. Maize (295ha), Chillies (285ha) and Gingelly (255ha) are the minor crops are grown in the block.
Thellar: Paddy(7500ha), Groundnut(3500ha) and Sugarcane(900) are the major crops, Chillies (59ha), Cowpea(55 ha) and Ragi (44 ha) are the minor crops cultivated in the block.
Thurinjapuram: Paddy (14100ha), Groundnut (8500ha) and Blackgram(2200ha) are the major crops, Ragi (445ha), Chillies (110ha) and Cowpea(45ha) are the minor crops cultivated in the block.
Vandavasi: The major crops Paddy (6500ha), Groundnut (2900ha) and Sugarcane(1500ha) are predominantly cultivated, Ragi (115ha), Chillies (65ha) and Cowpea(62.5ha) are the minor crops grown in the block.
It could be noted that Groundnut is predominantly cultivated in all the blocks. Apart from this Pulses, Millets and Chillies are widely cultivated in all the blocks.
Prioritisation of crops
Though Paddy and Sugarcane are the major crops in Tiruvannamalai in area of cultivation, these two crops are high water users and have more regulated approaches, hence could be excluded for further interventions. Therefore Ground Nut and Black Gram stand are the top two prioritized crops.
Crop Wise
Groundnut
Tiruvannamalai Thurinjapuram(8573.5ha), Kilpennathur(7738.37ha) and Thandarapet (6519.89ha) lead in term of area of cultivation of groundnut, which is about 13.1%, 12.1% and 10.2% respectively to the total area in groundnut in Tiruvannamalai.
Blackgram
Blackgram is widely cultivated in Kilpennathur(3601.66 ha), Thandarampet(2697.41 ha) ,Thurinjapuram (2382.13 ha) and Tiruvannamalai(2221.67 ha) which contribute 16.35%,12.3%, 10.3% and 10.2% respectively to the district respectively.
Millets
Cumbu is predominantly cultivated in Tiruvannamalai block(1621.72ha), Polur(1381.13ha) and Kilpennathur 1155.165haTiruvannamalai(37.2%).
Ragi is widely cultivated in Jawadhu hills, Chengam and Chetpet blocks. Samai is predominantly grown in Jawadhu hills.
Other crops
Jawadhu Hills(22.2%)and Thandarampet(17.9%) contribute to the area of cultivation of Gingelly in Tiruvannamalai district.
Marketing and Storage Infrastructure
Marketing of agriculture is done through various regulated markets, co-operative marketing societies, Uzhavarsandhai (Fruits and Vegetables), Wholesale markets and Local Shandies. Apart from these Weekly markets and daily markets also exists in the district. The details of markets are as described as under.
| S.No |
Type |
Total nos |
| 1 |
Regulated market(APMC) |
9 |
| 2 |
Wholesale markets(Traders) |
157 |
| 3 |
Co-op marketing societies |
97 |
| 4 |
Local Shandies |
23 |
| 5 |
Uzhavarsandais |
2 |
| 6 |
Cold storage Godowns/td>
| 4 |
Agricultural Marketing and Regulated Markets
Regulated market is wholesale market where buying and selling is regulated and controlled by the state government through the market committee. The primary object of regulating the market is to safeguard the interest of the producer sellers raise the standards of the local Markets where the first exchange of the goods takes place. It has 18 regulated markets through which the farmers sell their agri products directly to the government. The number of regulated markets and quantity and value of commodities transacted in those markets.
| No. of Regulated Markets |
No. of Sub Regulated Markets |
Quantity arrivals(in MT) (Product wise) |
Receipts (Rs in Lakhs) (Product wise) |
| 18 |
2 |
Paddy |
187240.12 |
284.26 |
| Groundnut |
7563.05 |
40.61 |
| Gingelly |
7563.05 |
40.61 |
| Chillies |
191.55 |
1.42 |
| Cumbu |
543.23 |
0.71 |
| Horsegram |
7.65 |
0.01 |
| Ragi |
375.11 |
0.74 |
The average annual rice production in the district was 3.74 lakh tonnes. However, the transaction of paddy through regulated markets in the district was only 1.87 lakh tonnes. Therefore, the reasons for the poor market arrivals to the regulated markets should be identified and the more facilities need to be created in the regulated markets to attract larger arrivals.
Agribusiness Opportunities
Groundnut
Ready availability of groundnut especially the varieties VRI 1,2/TMV 7 have high potential for value addition like barfi making and export to Bangalore and abroad. But the seed cost is very high in Groundnut therefore in need of low cost input kiosks. At present Ground nut is also marketed through regulated markets, 10% also goes to other districts. 90% bought by traders. 10% sold as seed and 80% extracted for oil.
Vegetables
Keelpennathur is a vegetable cluster which needs storage facilities and logistics support to boost up marketing.
Flowers
At present Rose is exported from Chengam to Bangalore and also few Jasmine processing units exist in Chengam. Logistical support is required for the transport of Rose and there is a potential for establishing additional Jasmine processing units. There is an increasing trend of cultivating flowers due to increased market demand.
Rice
Traditional varieties of Mappillai and Jeeraga samba have huge potential.etc
Millets
Breeder seeds are available with the centre for excellence of millets in Tiruvannamalai. There is a huge potential for seed production (labelled seeds) by entrepreneurs. There is a potential of earning of upto Rs10000/ per acre of millet seed production. The varieties are long duration (Irrigated) and short duration(Rainfed). There is need to improve the infrastructure facilities such as thrashing floor and also processing facilities like grading machines. Processed Millet food such as aval, ready to cook, pop up, Flakes have huge potential in Market.
Horticultural crops
Coleus, Lemon Grass, and Palmarosa are the important hortuicultural crops grown. Coleus is cultivated in 1500 ha and is the highest in the State. The Lemon Grass and Palmarosa oil crops gives net income of Rs 20000/- once in two months. Palmarosa is a dry land crop Coleus gives and income of Rs 1.5 to 2 lakh per harvest per acre. Establishing Oil extraction Units have huge scope as rural enterprises.
Allied Sectors
The livestock and poultry sector provides ample opportunity and have to be developed in this district as the agricultural labourers population can earn income from this sector during the off season or non-cropping periods.
