There has been no improvement in the prospects for farmers in Telangana in the rabi season for almost all crops barring maize and green gram. Official records show that a quarter of the normal cropped area has not been covered this rabi season due to acute shortage of water sources.
The average cropped area of the new State is about 13 lakh hectares in the rabi season. “But farmers could plant on 9.50 lakh hectares. Paddy has been hit hard with farmers growing the crop only in 66 per cent of the average area of 6.50 lh,” an official of the Agriculture Department has said.
Maize, which is generally grown on 1.52 lh, has seen a marginal increase with 1.60 lh. Green gram too witnessed an increase with farmers growing it on 22,000 hectares against the normal area of 15,000 hectares.
The total area of foodgrain crops too registered a fall of 25 per cent at 7.60 lh against the average area of 10.41 lh.