Telangana plans big on vegetable farming

In order to increase the production of vegetable crops, Horticulture department is taking several measures by conducting awareness and training programs for farmers

Hyderabad: Every day, we purchase vegetables by visiting nearby vegetable store or from the push cart vendor. But ever thought where these vegetables come from?

The vegetables that reach your plate arrive in the city mostly from the surrounding areas such as Rangareddy, Vikarabad, and even Sangareddy.

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In the adjoining Rangareddy, vegetable crops are grown in an area of 28,000 acres with a production of 34,000 MTs per annum, while in Vikarabad, they are grown in an area of 20,000 acres with a production of 25,000 MTs per annum. In Sangareddy, the same is being cultivated in an area of 12,000 acres with a production of 13,000 MTs.

According to Horticulture department data, presently the total area that is under vegetable cultivation is 74,000 acres in Rangareddy, Vikarabad and Sangareddy as against an expected area of 1.51 lakh acres that could meet the requirements of Hyderabad. And there exist a gap of almost 50 per cent between demand and supply, and to fulfil the gap, vegetables are being imported from neighbouring States such as Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and others.

In order to increase the production of vegetable crops, the Horticulture department is taking several measures by conducting awareness and training programs for farmers through its Centre of Excellence facilities located in the Jeedimetla and Mulugu areas. In addition to conducting awareness programmes, with requests from farmers, the department is also supplying 5,000 to 10,000 high-quality and disease-free seedlings to farmers to help farmers in acquiring quality seeds.

In Rangareddy, the majority of the vegetable produce is grown in Yacharam, Ibrahimpatnam, Maheshwaram, and Shadnagar areas. Also, at present, the oil palm is being cultivated in an area of 80,000 acres across the state, including Rangareddy. Similarly, the flowers are grown in an area of 10,000 acres against the required 30,000 acres.

According to official data, the Horticulture department contributed 38 per cent (Rs 28,160 crore) to the State’s total gross value added (GVA), making a significant contribution to the State’s economy. The vegetable crops grown here include open-cultivated vegetables, gourds, beans, leafy vegetables, root vegetables, exotic vegetables, and others.