With new irrigation projects increasing the arable land in the State, the Telangana government is working on an agriculture policy to plan the crops that suit different areas in the State, resulting in higher incomes for farmers.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao asked the farmers not to plant a single crop as it could land them in losses. “They should go for a variety of crops,” he said.

The State is engaged in consultations with stakeholders, ranging from the academicians to scientists and farmers, to prepare a ‘comprehensive’ agriculture policy that would address the challenges of the State as the arable land increased significantly.

The State expects to grow paddy in 90 lakh acres from this agricultural year and hopes to reap in about 2.7 crore tonnes of paddy, making it a rice bowl of the country. The policy would throw light on the number of rice mills that the State would require to process the paddy.

In a review meeting on agriculture on Sunday, he said he would talk to agriculture officers working in the fields in order to seek their feedback. A senior official said the government conducted a study to find out what crops should grow in what extent.

“The Chief Minister will convene a meeting soon with mandal and district-level agriculture officers. He will also seek opinions of Agricultural Extensive Officers and Rythu Bandhu Samithis through a video conference,” said a government spokesperson.

It was suggested that the State should consider denying some benefits like Rythu Bandhu to farmers that refused to heed the advice on the cropping pattern.

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