Crops wait as monsoon plays truant in Telangana
Telangana is experiencing a significant delay in agricultural sowing due to an uneven and deficient monsoon season. Paddy cultivation has been particularly affected, while cotton has become the dominant crop for the current season.
Why it matters
Agricultural delays in major farming regions like Telangana can impact food security and the economic stability of rural communities dependent on seasonal rainfall.
Delayed monsoon rains have slowed Telangana’s farm activity to one of its lowest levels in recent years, with paddy emerging as the biggest casualty of the uneven rainfall pattern. Farmers across several districts are holding back from transplanting, waiting for sustained showers before committing to the kharif season.As of July 14, sowing was completed in 60.2 lakh acres, covering just 45.4% of Telangana’s normal Vanakalam cultivated area of 1.3 crore acres. The figures, compiled under the Vanakalam-2026 contingency plan prepared by the Telangana govt with Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University (PJTAU) and ICAR-CRIDA, highlight the impact of delayed and deficient rains.Paddy takes biggest hitPaddy, the state’s key crop, has taken the biggest hit. Against a normal area of 65.9 lakh acres, farmers had cultivated only 6.3 lakh acres by mid-July — just 9.6% of the expected coverage.
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