With farmers having sown paddy on a record 26 lakh hectares (lh) and the demand for paddy up in the country, the Telangana government has set a target to procure 10 million tonnes (mt) this kharif season against about 7 mt in the same season last year.
The State, which is expecting a bumper output of 14.1 mt in the kharif season, is also seriously looking at not putting any restrictions on the paddy cultivation for the upcoming rabi season.
Minister for Civil Supplies Gangula Kamalakar said nearly 40 per cent of the total kharif output might go to the open market.
The State Government, which had asked farmers not to cultivate paddy in the previous rabi season, seems to have changed its policy. In all likelihood, it will allow farmers to sow the staple cereal crop the way they like.
The State’s decision last year followed a fight with the Union Government over the procurement of parboiled rice (the rabi output) in the previous year.
Inconsistent policy
Kanneganti Ravi of Rythu Swarajya Vedika has flayed the State Government for its inconsistent policy on paddy. “It is neglecting other crops and is only focussing on paddy, cotton and maize. The area under millets and pulses is dwindling as there is no market support from the State government,” told businessline.
“It wanted the farmers to shun paddy and go for alternative crops in the last rabi season. But it failed to offer any marketing support to farmers who went for pulses,” he said.
Targets missed
This year, the farmers have completely ignored the target set by the State government. While the government set a target of 28 lh for cotton, farmers settled for just under 20 lh. On the other hand, it wanted the farmers to reduce the paddy acreage to 20-22 lh. “But they sowed in a record area of 26 lh,” Ravi said.