The Telangana Government has asked the farmers to go for crops that require less water. Farmers were asked to shun paddy this season, keeping in view the unfavourable weather conditions.

State Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy and Principal Secretary Poonam Malakondaiah held a review meeting on Tuesday with officials to take stock of the kharif crops and to discuss the rabi plan.

The meeting also discussed the losses caused by the untimely rains last week and measures to be taken to help farmers sell cotton. The unexpected rains in the State damaged crops and the produce in several mandals.

The State is also in short supply of power, forcing it to enforce day-long power cuts in villages. Availability of power during the rabi could be even more difficult.

The Government has asked the farmers to go for dry land crops that require less water and, in turn, demand less power. “Farmers are advised to plan their crops in such a manner that they would go for harvesting by March 15 when temperatures begin to rise,” an official of the Department of Agriculture said.

Paddy is grown in 6.50 lakh hectares in Telangana out of the total cropped area of 13 lakh hectares in Telangana. The rest of the area is shared by maize (1.52 lakh ha), bengal gram (1 lakh ha), ground nut (1.7 lakh ha).The exact rabi production figures are not immediately available as this is going to be the first season after the State is created. In the combined State, paddy was grown in an average 15 lakh ha and produced about 55 lakh ha.

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