Hyderabad: Telangana pulses cultivation increased 36% this Kharif over last year’s season, placing the state second nationally, Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao said.
Tummala presented Telangana’s agricultural progress and requirements at the national Rabi conference. He also outlined state initiatives aimed at protecting farmers and diversifying crops. The minister highlighted measures covering climate-resilient farming, digital agriculture, infrastructure and credit access.
According to Tummala, changing rainfall patterns, prolonged dry spells and El Niño risks had prompted Telangana to focus on crop diversification. Therefore, the government encouraged farmers to choose alternative crops based on water availability and climatic conditions. He said these measures helped Telangana pulses cultivation record 36% growth during the current Kharif season.
Telangana pulses cultivation grows amid diversification drive
Tummala asked the Centre to bring maize and jowar under the Price Support Scheme amid El Niño and drought concerns. He said several mandals faced deficient or severely deficient rainfall. Therefore, he asked the Centre to assess conditions at the mandal level instead of relying only on state average rainfall.
The minister sought special central assistance for affected mandals. In addition, he requested support for micro-irrigation, protective irrigation and water conservation structures. Tummala also raised issues concerning oil palm farmers. He said Telangana farmers had responded positively to the Centre’s push to expand oil palm cultivation.
The state had added nearly 1.10 lakh hectares under oil palm, he said. Moreover, about 72,000 new farmers had taken up the crop. Since oil palm was a long-term crop, Tummala stressed the need for stable and remunerative prices. He said such support was necessary to maintain farmers’ confidence.
Tummala asked the Centre to restore the crude palm oil import duty to its earlier level of 44%. He said import policy should support domestic farmers as the country encouraged them to grow oil palm.
In response, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured that a special committee would examine oil palm prices and farmers’ concerns, Tummala said. Meanwhile, Tummala sought an increase in Telangana’s soil-testing target. He wanted the current target of about one lakh samples raised to two lakh.
Scientific soil testing could encourage balanced fertiliser use and reduce cultivation costs, he said. It could also help farmers improve productivity. The minister also sought 16 additional Krishi Vigyan Kendras for Telangana.
He said the state had 33 districts but only 16 Krishi Vigyan Kendras. Therefore, Telangana needed a stronger agricultural extension network to take new technologies to farmers quickly. Tummala asked the Centre and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to approve the additional centres.
Central support sought for Kodangal agriculture projects
The minister said Telangana had submitted detailed project reports for two proposed projects in Kodangal. These included an Agri Business Park and a Centre of Excellence for Semi-Arid Horticulture Crops. Tummala sought central assistance to establish both projects.
He said farmers needed more than seeds and fertilisers to improve agricultural productivity. They also required technology, soil health information, timely credit and scientific advice. In addition, farmers needed water-saving methods, extension services, infrastructure and reliable markets, he said.
Tummala said research, agricultural education and extension services should work together. Such coordination would help new technologies reach farmers faster. Finally, he urged the Centre to consider Telangana’s specific agricultural requirements and provide the necessary support.