Telangana faces monocrop risk as Rabi paddy sowing surges

Telangana’s Rabi paddy sowing for 2025-26 has risen 10-15%, driven by full reservoirs and assured irrigation. Experts warn this overreliance could threaten crop diversity, oilseed production, and storage capacity, while fertiliser supply may fall short if expansion continues

Hyderabad: With Rabi sowing underway across Telangana, agriculture experts have cautioned that the State’s growing reliance on paddy, an irrigation-intensive crop, could push it towards a monocrop crisis. Preliminary reports indicate a 10-15 per cent rise in Rabi paddy acreage for the 2025-26 season compared to last year.

The extended monsoon has left reservoirs in both the Godavari and Krishna basins brimming well into November, encouraging farmers to opt for paddy on a large scale. Agronomists, however, warn that such unchecked expansion could threaten crop diversity and water sustainability in the long run.

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The total cropped area this Rabi is projected at 68.67 lakh acres, of which paddy alone is expected to occupy over 55 lakh acres. Nationwide, Rabi sowing is set to rise by about 7-8 per cent, with Telangana leading in paddy acreage. The increasing preference for paddy is likely to reduce the area under vital oilseed and pulse crops, experts said.

Districts such as erstwhile Warangal, Khammam, Nalgonda, Nizamabad and Karimnagar, which enjoy assured irrigation from the two river basins, are witnessing rapid expansion of paddy fields, replacing traditional pulse and oilseed crops. Farmers, despite being promised a Rs 500 per quintal bonus over the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for fine varieties, continue to face procurement delays and storage challenges aggravated by unseasonal rains.

The previous Rabi season had its share of troubles, with heavy rains during March and April 2025 straining State warehousing facilities. “Water is abundantly available now, and irrigation is assured till April 2026. Paddy is a safe bet. Why risk cultivating sunflower or groundnut when paddy has an assured buyer?” asked Nagaraju, a farmer under the NSP Left Canal in Kodad division.

Oilseed cultivation has taken a backseat in the command areas of major irrigation projects, with most farmers preferring paddy for its predictability and market assurance. However, the surge could soon outstrip storage capacity. Godowns under various departments, including the Marketing wing, are already overflowing with Kharif stocks and will need to hold nearly 1.2 crore tonnes when the Rabi harvest peaks.

Adding to the concerns are fertiliser supply constraints. The Centre has allocated 10.40 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of urea to Telangana for the 2025-26 Rabi season, matching only the assessed requirement. Any further expansion in paddy area could trigger a fertiliser shortfall, compounding the crisis.