Paddy to take backseat in Telangana this Vaanakalam

Hyderabad: Paddy is all set to take a backseat in Telangana in the upcoming 2022-23 Vaanakalam (Kharif) crop season with the State government gearing up its machinery to encourage farmers to cultivate cotton, red gram and other alternative crops based on market demand. The Vaanakalam season is expected to commence in the first half of […]

Hyderabad: Paddy is all set to take a backseat in Telangana in the upcoming 2022-23 Vaanakalam (Kharif) crop season with the State government gearing up its machinery to encourage farmers to cultivate cotton, red gram and other alternative crops based on market demand. The Vaanakalam season is expected to commence in the first half of June this year since the monsoon has already arrived in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The total extent of crop cultivation is likely to see a marginal rise to 1.42 crore acres this season from around 1.4 crore acres last Vaanakalam season. Farmers will be encouraged to take up cotton cultivation in about 70-75 lakh acres with paddy sowing in another 50 lakh acres. Red gram cultivation will be promoted in about 15 lakh acres and horticulture crops in 11.5 lakh acres.

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Following the directions from Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, the Agriculture department chalked out plans to encourage alternative crops. The decision was taken after considering the declining demand for paddy in the market which in turn could prove detrimental to the interests of paddy farmers. At the same time, prices of cotton, red gram, horticulture and other crops are soaring.

“Telangana can produce good quantity of raw rice through paddy cultivation during Vaanakalam season compared to Yasangi. However, it was observed that there is a significant increase in paddy cultivation across the country which could reduce the demand for rice. Further, the demand for Telangana cotton is high in the international market,” said a top official in the Agriculture department.

For planned cultivation, the State government has identified 1,332 cotton, 1,000 paddy and 82 red gram clusters. As per the plan, farmers will be encouraged to adopt a specific crop plan designed by the Agriculture department for each crop in these clusters. The authorities have identified around 10 clusters in and around erstwhile Warangal district to produce high-density and single-pick cotton crop on an experimental basis. It has been also decided to discourage cotton cultivation after July 15.

Apart from red gram, the demand for chilli, sunflower and other horticultural crops was also good. Oil palm cultivation is also being promoted on a large scale with special incentives. Farmers are being asked to focus on cultivation of horticulture crops including fruits and vegetables.

Further, Telangana would require about 24.45 lakh tonnes of fertilisers for the upcoming Vaanakalam crop season, and the officials are making efforts to arrange five lakh tonnes of urea by May end as well as required DAP and complex fertlisers by June 15.