The Telangana government on Monday unveiled its strategy to extend Rytu Bandhu, the investment support scheme for agriculture, only to select crops over specified acreage on the expected 1.35 crore acres of cultivable area across the State.
At the prospects of good monsoon and stepped up irrigation facilities due to completion of projects, the Cabinet at its meeting decided to mandate farmers to grow cotton in 70 lakh acres to be eligible to access Rythu Bandhu. Cotton which was previously a rain-fed crop in the State and considered the best in the country alongside Vidarbha will now be promoted under projects and bore wells as the net yield due to availability of water was expected to increase to 15 to 20 quintals an acre and net income ₹ 50,000 an acre.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao told a media conference after the meeting that it was also decided to wean away farmers from maize in the rainy season but let them cultivate the crop in winter season to reap the benefit of government assistance. The farmers could cultivate paddy over 40 lakh acres like last year though it fetched them only ₹ 25,000 per acre with a yield of 25 quintals an acre. The government reserved the right to specify varieties of paddy that farmers should grow.
An announcement on the acreage of permitted maize area for winter crop would be made at the beginning of the season. It was felt maize was not fetching the minimum support price of ₹ 1,760 in rainy season. However, the crop’s yield was high in winter when its demand from the poultry industry would also increase.
After 70 lakh acres for cotton and 40 lakh acres from paddy, Mr. Rao said the balance 25 lakh acres would be distributed between red gram, vegetables, turmeric, soyabean and mango orchards. The government will purchase the entire quantity of red gram at MSP as its demand was high. The farmers will not be entitled to Rythu Bandhu if they deviated from these crops and acreage. A meeting will be held shortly to finalise the cropping pattern district-wise.
He added that the PJTS Agriculture University was asked to develop a rice variety with the size of the grain at 6.5 mm to meet international standards and fetch good returns for farmers. The ‘sona’ variety of Telangana was already popular as a sugar free rice which will be promoted in 10 lakh acres.
The government was committed to finding a permanent solution to requirements of farmers so that they themselves decided their future course. The godowns capacity in the State was being increased by 45 lakh tonnes.
