For several months, Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has been saying that agriculture is his first occupation though DMK President M K Stalin has been calling him a ‘fake farmer.’ On Wednesday, the CM took a Spade to prove that he is an adept agriculturist.

Palaniswami, who was on an election campaign at Thottiam in Trichy district, borrowed a spade from a labourer who was working in a field and started digging the earth to soften the soil. Farmers and others who were around him appreciated the way he handled the spade with expertise.

While interacting with farmers, the CM said the government would take up a research project to double the income of banana farmers in the state.

“As a farmer, I know the problems faced by the farmers while rising banana crop. So, in order to double farmers’ income, the government will take up a research project with the help of aerospace scientist Mylswamy Annadurai by roping up IIT-Madras, to utilize entire parts of a banana plant,” the CM said.

The CM said the government had taken various measures to double the income of banana farmers.