Telangana farmers refuse to shy away from paddy in the rabi season, notwithstanding a hard stance by the Union Government on procurement and the State Government’s caution against going for the staple food crop.

According to the latest figures, farmers have sown the crop on 14.50 lakh hectares (ha) against the season’s average area of 12.50 lakh hectares.

Though it is less than the last year’s record acreage of 21 lakh ha, the extent of current year’s paddy sowings surprised many.

With the country saddled with huge stocks of parboiled rice, sufficient to cover next three-four years, the Centre had made it clear that it was not going to buy the rabi rice from Telangana.

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The government refused to budge even after the issue had taken a political colour with the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government alleging that the BJP government at the Centre refused to buy the rabi rice stocks from the State.

After much prodding, the Centre agreed to increase the rice procurement limit to 46 lakh tonnes for the 2020-21 rabi season from the earlier limit of 40 lakh tonnes.

With no signs of Centre relenting for the procurement of rabi rice from 2021-22 season, the State had asked the farmers to shun paddy in the summer season and shift to alternative crops.

The State targeted to bring down the paddy area to 6-8 lakh ha. Unnerved, the farmers seem to have gone for paddy, overtaking the season’s normal acreage.

Oilseeds, pulses gain

The State wanted the farmers to go look at alternatives such oilseeds and horticultural crops. The area under oilseed crops has gone up slightly to two lakh h from 1.50 lakh ha.

Pulses, too, made some gains as the area went up to two lakh hectares from 1.30 lakh ha.

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