Telangana government faces criticism over reversal on paddy cultivation policy

The Telangana government has shifted from promoting paddy cultivation to urging crop diversification, citing procurement challenges, drawing criticism over policy inconsistency as leaders now encourage farmers to adopt commercial crops like oil palm.

Hyderabad: The Congress government in Telangana has come under criticism for what is being termed a policy reversal on paddy cultivation, after initially encouraging farmers to grow the crop extensively and now advocating crop diversification.Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao have recently urged farmers to move away from paddy cultivation and instead focus on commercial crops.

During the previous BRS government, then Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao had repeatedly encouraged farmers to diversify crops, citing multiple constraints associated with paddy cultivation. The government promoted oil palm, groundnut and other commercial crops, urging a shift away from paddy.
In 2022, the State pushed oil palm cultivation aggressively, setting a target of 30 lakh acres by 2025–26. The Cabinet had also approved a subsidy of Rs 26,000 per acre for oil palm farmers. While in opposition, the Congress had criticised the BRS government’s stance on discouraging paddy cultivation. Revanth Reddy, then TPCC president, had asserted that it was the State’s responsibility to procure paddy and reassure farmers.

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Past statements of Revanth Reddy, now circulating on social media, show him questioning the BRS government over procurement policies. He had earlier asked why, despite a Rs 2.5 lakh crore budget, the State could not ensure paddy procurement and why the issue was being linked to the Centre. However, after coming to power, the Congress government initially encouraged large-scale paddy cultivation, assuring farmers that every grain would be procured.

The government has now shifted its stance, citing the Centre’s reluctance to procure paddy from Telangana, and is urging farmers to adopt crop diversification and take up commercial crops. Sddressing the Assembly, the Chief Minister acknowledged that paddy cultivation alone may not ensure remunerative returns for farmers. He directed ministers to prepare a comprehensive plan to promote crop diversification before the conclusion of the budget session.

The Agriculture Minister, speaking at a Rythu Mela in Siddipet, said the Centre had made its procurement policy clear and advised the State to align accordingly. He appealed to farmers to shift towards alternative crops such as oil palm