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After a successful agricultural season in 2019-20, Telangana is aiming for a production of 2.88 crore tonnes of foodgrains, including 2.54 crore tonnes of paddy, in the 2020-21 season. This is 44 lakh tonnes more than what the State reaped last season.
A big chunk of the increase will come from increased paddy yields.
The total area (in both kharif and rabi seasons) for the season is pegged at 108.45 lakh acres, which includes 58.14 lakh acres in the kharif season.
The State projects a production of 23.54 lakh tonnes of maize this season. In the new regulated cropping pattern system, it has asked farmers not to grow maize in the kharif season and instead grow it in rabi.
As a sharp deviation from the previous Agricultural Action Plans, this year’s Action Plan is in line with the new regulated cropping system. The new plan has pegged the cotton (a kharif crop) area at 60 lakh acres and paddy at 81 lakh acres (in both the seasons).
At 108.45 lakh acres, there’s not much increase in the area under foodgrains this year. But the State is betting on an increase in yields. From about 2,450 kg/acre, the Agriculture Department is pegging the paddy yield at 3,142 kg/acre.
The Department has asked the farmers to go for fine varieties in order to get better yields and returns.
Farmers protest
Meanwhile, the farmers’ organisations have asked the government to facilitate disbursal of crop loans. “The season has begun six months ago but the government has not finalised the Credit Plan. This will force the farmers to depend on private lenders,” S Malla Reddy, Vice-President of the All-India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), has said.
A group of farmers held a dharna on Monday in front of Nabard’s local office, demanding immediate release and implementation of the Credit Plan for the primary sector.
“Sowing is in full swing. Sowing was completed in 60 lakh acres but the government is yet to finalise the Credit Plan,” he alleged.
Of the 60 lakh farmers in the State, only 50 per cent are able to access institutional credit. The remaining 50 per cent are being forced to depend on private loans, putting a heavy burden on them, he said.
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