Alternate crops to paddy gain momentum in Telangana

Hyderabad: In a remarkable and welcome development during this Yasangi season’s sowing operations that are nearing completion, many farmers across the State have opted for alternative crops to paddy. More importantly, cultivation of pulses and oil seeds has hit a new high in Telangana that is in tune with the State government’s appeal for crop […]

Hyderabad: In a remarkable and welcome development during this Yasangi season’s sowing operations that are nearing completion, many farmers across the State have opted for alternative crops to paddy. More importantly, cultivation of pulses and oil seeds has hit a new high in Telangana that is in tune with the State government’s appeal for crop diversification. The Centre’s refusal to purchase parboiled rice from Telangana during Yasangi too appears to have discouraged the farmers from taking up paddy farming.

As per the latest reports of the Agriculture Department, compared to previous Yasangi season in 2020-21, extent of land under oil seed cultivation increased by about 1.09 lakh acres from 3.46 lakh acres to 4.55 lakh acres. Similarly, pulses cultivation increased by around 64,000 acres this year from 4.42 lakh acres to 5.06 lakh acres. At the same time, paddy cultivation came down by nearly 16.15 lakh acres i.e. from 50.36 lakh acres in Yasangi 2020-21 to 34.21 lakh acres in Yasangi 2021-22.

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Farmers took up cultivation in about 50.46 lakh acres during the ensuing Yasangi season. During last Yasangi, farm operations were taken up in 64.84 lakh acres i.e. overall cultivation area has reduced by nearly 14.38 lakh acres.

“There is an overall drop in crop sown area in the State due to reduced paddy cultivation. However, a significant number of farmers have shifted to alternative crops whose acreage has increased by at least two lakh acres. Besides oil seeds and pulses, the cultivation of millets as well as horticultural crops including vegetables and fruits has increased considerably,” a senior Agriculture Department official told Telangana Today.

Cultivation of maize increased from 4.26 lakh acres during Yasangi 2020-21 to 4.42 lakh acres in Yasangi 2021-22. Ragi cultivation increased from 958 acres to 2,090 acres during the corresponding period. Among the pulses, bengalgram’s acreage increased from 3.42 lakh acres in Yasangi 2020-21 to 3.65 lakh acres in Yasangi 2021-22.

Best alternatives:

• Total crop area in Yasangi 2021-22 – 64.84 lakh acres
• Total paddy sown area reduced from 50.36 lakh acres to 34.21 lakh acres
• Oil seeds cultivation increased by 1.09 lakh acres
• Cultivation of pulses up by 64,000 acres

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