Telangana Agriculture Department Publishes  Booklet on Paddy Alternatives

With no assurance that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) will purchase Rabi paddy from state farmers, the Agriculture Department is on a mission to redirect farmers to alternate crops. 

Singireddy Niranjan Reddy, the Telangana Agriculture Minister, released materials on Monday showcasing alternative crops and urged farmers not to plant paddy in the upcoming Rabi season. 

A 40-page booklet titled "Yasangilo variki baduluga itara pantalu sagu cheddam" (let us cultivate crops other than paddy in Rabi) is being extensively distributed to farmers as part of the department's efforts. "Raising paddy in both the Kharif and Rabi seasons does not ensure crop diversification in the state." The Centre has previously said that boiling rice will be procured. Crop diversification will aid in soil fertility improvement. In Rabi 2021-22, cultivate crops other than paddy," writes Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in the booklet's foreword. 

The paddy area rose from 34.92 lakh acres in 2014-15 to 1.06 crore acres in 2020-21, according to the booklet. The increase in water availability was the reason for the expansion.

Farmers will suffer problems as a result of the rice shortage, according to the booklet. It also covered 10 additional crops, including oilseeds, and how to manage them. Farmers are also encouraged to grow vegetables by the government. 

The Agriculture Department also released a handout that outlined the estimated yields for each alternative crop, in addition to the booklet. The several seed varieties available for these alternative crops, as well as the crop duration and other details, are all described. 

Suggestions gleaned from the booklet 

Sorghum may be grown as an intercrop in red gram in Kharif, according to the booklet. Though sorghum is commonly grown in Mahabubnagar, Adilabad, Medak, and Rangareddy districts, it may also be grown in highland parts of other districts. 

Maghi Sorghum is a staple crop for farmers in Khammam and Nalgonda. Sesame farmers may make a lot of money with little investment. The white sesame and husked sesame can be exported to other nations if pesticide residues are not present.