Agricultural experts have suggested to the government and farmers that paddy should be cultivated only in about 60 lakh to 65 lakh acres per year, including vana kalam and yasangi seasons to get a remunerative price for the produce.
The experts also said that rainy season was not suitable for maize crop and cotton crop, which has demand in market, only be cultivated. Red gram crop should be cultivated as vana kalam crop in 10 lakh to 15 lakh acres.
These recommendations were made in the meeting held by Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao on regulated crop cultivation policy with agriculture experts and agriculture university officials here on Friday.
The experts gave their opinion to the Chief Minister after studying the agricultural land in the State, cultivation methods and markets in and outside the country.
They said that if paddy was cultivated by everyone, then farmers are likely to suffer losses and if it was cultivated in more than 65 lakh acres, they would not get remunerative price. Paddy, both fine and ordinary variety, should be cultivated in 40 lakh acres in vana kalam and 25 lakh acres in yasangi based on market requirement. It would not be possible for the government to purchase entire produce every time. This time was an exception due to COVID crisis.
Cultivating cotton would give better returns to farmers and they get could earn a net income of ₹50,000 per acre as against ₹30,000 per acre for paddy. Red gram crop also has good demand in the market. Cotton can be cultivated in 65 lakh acrs to 70 lakh acres in Telangana as it has good market demand.
State government would deliberate on the suggestions given by the experts for two more days and finalise the regulated crop cultivation policy. Later Chief Minister would address a video conference of field-level officers, Rythu Bandhu Samithis on May 18 from Pragathi Bhavan. The video conference scheduled for Friday had been postponed. The video conference will be attended by District Collector, Agricultural officer, District rythu bandhu president, seed development corporation officer and others.
Meanwhile Chief Minister continued discussions on the new agricultural policy with ministers Niranjan Reddy, Eatala Rajender, E. Dayakar Rao, Gangula Kamalakar, V. Prashanth Reddy, Rythu Bandhu Samithi president Palla Rajeswar Reddy, Chief Secretary and other officials.
