Hyderabad, July 30 (IANS) The sown area for the Kharif crop season in Telangana has dropped by 23.12 per cent due to deficit rainfall during the southwest monsoon under the impact of El Nino, said an expert committee appointed by the state government.
According to the report, Telangana recorded 216 mm of rainfall against the normal of 286.5 mm between June 1 and July 22, a deficit of 25 per cent.
Out of 33 districts, 23 recorded deficient rainfall. As many as 399 out of 621 mandals saw deficient rainfall.
The dry spell intensified in July, with the state receiving only 104.4 mm against the normal 155.1 mm, a 33 per cent deficit.
The expert committee headed by G. Chinna Reddy, Vice Chairman of the Telangana State Planning Board, submitted its report to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday.
The report noted that agriculture has been severely affected due to insufficient rainfall and recommended encouraging farmers to cultivate alternative crops. It suggested formulating village-wise contingency plans to promote pulses, oilseeds, millets, and vegetables.
As of mid-July 2026, sown area reached only 67.78 lakh acres, representing 48.66 per cent of the area sown during Kharif 2025 (139.28 lakh acres). Overall seasonal coverage is projected to reach 107.08 lakh acres, a 23.12 per cent reduction.
The projected drop for paddy is 44.90 per cent (from 69.89 lakh acres in 2025 down to 38.51 lakh acres). For cotton, the decline is 9.42 per cent (from 50.70 lakh to 45.92 lakh acres).
According to the report, live storage in major and medium reservoirs across the Godavari (27.69 TMC) and Krishna (14.81 TMC) basins is near Minimum Draw Down Levels (MDDL) and strictly earmarked for drinking water.
Depths to the water table are projected to deteriorate from 9.46 MBGL (June) to more than 11.01 MBGL by August 2026 across 28 lakh agricultural borewells.
The committee made several key recommendations to the government and outlined an emergency action plan.
It suggested providing seeds for these crops at a 75 per cent subsidy and sanctioning new loans for alternative crops.
It advised encouraging fodder cultivation by providing subsidised fodder seeds and ensuring uninterrupted power supply for irrigation. It also recommended providing technical guidance to farmers through scientists from agricultural universities.
The report urged promoting vegetable cultivation in villages surrounding Hyderabad and arranging transport facilities to ‘Rythu Bazaars’ (farmers’ markets). It also proposed financial assistance for establishing dairy units in rural areas and forming village-level teams to monitor contingency measures.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy stated that necessary measures must be taken in coordination with the Agriculture Department to promote vegetable cultivation in the state.
He said the government is prepared to provide required seeds at subsidised rates. He emphasised the need to focus on areas surrounding newly constructed centralised kitchens, which supply breakfast and mid-day meals to students in government schools.
He directed officials to create awareness among farmers about cultivating vegetables and other crops using organic methods.
He also called for measures to facilitate direct procurement of produce grown by farmers.
–IANS
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