Telangana’s 2025 Kharif sowing still confined to rainfed pockets

By mid-August, Telangana’s Kharif sowing crossed 1.10 crore acres, surpassing last year’s figures. However, sowing is largely confined to rain-fed areas due to inconsistent rainfall, urea shortages, and irrigation delays. Delayed MSP bonuses have further impacted farmers' liquidity, leading many to opt for less water-intensive crops

Hyderabad: The State’s Kharif sowing had surpassed the 1.10 crore acre mark by mid-August, but it has been more or less confined to rain-fed areas owing to multiple challenges. Despite exceeding last year’s 73.65 lakh acres, the season’s progress is marred by uneven rainfall, urea shortages, and irrigation delays, raising concerns about meeting the State’s ambitious 152 lakh-acre target.

Cotton sowing has seen progress, with 46 lakh acres covered, nearing its 50 lakh-acre goal, followed by paddy (45 lakh acres), maize (18 lakh acres), and horticultural crops (9 lakh acres). These figures reflect a recovery from early setbacks, with sowing hitting 82.92 lakh acres by late July, spurred by mid-July rains.

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Paddy transplantation lags

Paddy cultivation is notably behind, with only 45 lakh acres transplanted against a 66 lakh-acre target. This marks a decline of 22 lakh-acre from last year’s 62.13 lakh acres, which contributed to 153 lakh metric tonnes of Kharif and Rabi output. Early monsoon deficits stalled sowing, with just 36,300 acres planted by mid-July. A severe urea shortage also caused a 10–15% drop in yield. Farmers are forced to buy urea at higher prices in the black market.

Monsoon and irrigation challenges

The 2025 southwest monsoon has been inconsistent, delivering 549.8 mm of cumulative rainfall from June 1 to August 17, which is 15% above the normal 478.1 mm. However, district-level disparities persist: Mahabubnagar, Wanaparthy, and Nagarkurnool recorded excess rainfall (74%, 62%, and 77% above normal), while four districts faced deficits, which were partially offset by rainfall received during the past 24 hours. Low reservoir levels at 228.03 TMC, compared to 377.02 TMC last year, and non-operational Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project pump houses have delayed water releases to ayacut districts including Suryapet and Mahabubabad.

Delayed Minimum Support Price (MSP) bonuses for the Rabi 2025 season have strained farmer liquidity, prompting a shift to less water-intensive crops like maize.

Despite challenges, officials remain optimistic that sowing operations will continue till late August. Forecasts of continued rainfall and recent inflows into Sriram Sagar and Nizam Sagar projects offer hope for improved irrigation.