Telangana: For the current crop year 2020-21, Telangana is ready to cross another milestone with gross production value of agriculture and horticulture crops. Last year, i.e., crop year 2019-20, the gross production value was Rs. 89, 058 Crore and for the ongoing crop year, it is expected to reach Rs. 1 Lakh Crore, i.e., more than Rs. 10,942 than that of the last year.
During the combined Kharif and Rabi season, the 2.09 crore acres of land was brought under cultivation in the state. The total area under cultivation has increased by near to 50% within the span of seven years, 1.4 crore acres in 2014-15 to 2.09 crore acres in 2020-21.
With the improvement in irrigation facilities, and implementation of various other schemes by the state government like RythuBandhu has largely increased the gross production value.
A senior official said, “The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown too played a sudden surge in cultivation area. People who own agriculture lands and lost other sources of income shifted to crop cultivation as it is the primary occupation and was allowed to function during the lockdown also to ensure that there was no shortfall in foodgrains.”
One more important thing to mention is that farmers of the shifting from paddy to other crops also following the instructions of Chief Minister Chandrashekhar Rao, maybe slowly but they are shifting. And as per the instructions of CM, agriculture officials are also encouraging farmers to grow other alternative crops including horticulture like vegetables, fruits, and spices to diversify crop cultivation. Farmers are now trying not to depend solely on paddy and other traditional crops, but also on some alternatives.
Telangana government has set the target to increase the cultivation of horticulture crops from existing 12.5 lakh acres to 66 lakh acres in the upcoming five years.
It is worth mentioning that total paddy production this crop year in the Telangana state is estimated at 3.55 crore tonne. According to the Agriculture Department officials, the current paddy cultivation in the state is the highest of rabi season anywhere in the country.
Source- Telangana Today
