The Telangana Government has decided to procure all of the sorghum produced in the State in the just concluded rabi season.
Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has directed Markfed to purchase about 65,500 tonnes of sorghum harvested in the season at ₹2,970 a quintal.. The State Government will give a bank guarantee of ₹220 crore to Markfed to facilitate the purchase of the commodity.
About one lakh farmers in Adilabad, Asifabad, Nirmal, Kamareddy, Medak, Sangareddy, Vikarabad, Narayanapet, and Gadwal districts are expected to bendfit by the government’s decision.
Farmers grew sorghum in about 51,395 hectares (as against an average of 35,600 hectares) in the rabi season, with an expected yield of a little over 5 quintals.
India grew sorghum in 38 lakh hectares in 2021-22, with a total production of 48 lakh tonnes. However, the yield levels in India is just 1,110 kg a hectare, which is below the global average. Andhra Pradesh has the highest yield levels with about 3,167 kg per hectare. In comparison, the US and Ukraine register yields in excess of over 4,000 kg/ha.