Now, Telangana farmers can only grow what government wants

Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service
Hyderabad, May 13

Telangana farmers will now be able to grow only what the government wants them to grow.

The state’s new agriculture policy aims at making farming profitable and area of cultivation for every crop will be determined so that there is no glut, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (RAO) has announced.

Telangana becomes the first state in the country to enforce regulation that will ensure a “glut free” produce.

To make the implementation of the agriculture policy a success, the government will pay minimum support price (MSP) for only those crops cultivated on its suggestion and other farmers may even be denied the benefits of the ‘Rythu Bandhu’ scheme that grants farmers Rs 8000 per acre per year for purchase of seed, etc.

The new policy says it aims to make Telangana a role model in crop colonies for the entire world.

KCR said the move is aimed at making agriculture more profitable based on market demands.

Regulated farming will be implemented in the state from the upcoming Vaanakalam season that is marked with the sowing of paddy. Paddy cultivation will be limited to 50 lakh acres.

Besides fine and coarse varieties of paddy, Telangana Sona variety alone would be cultivated in about 10 lakh acres. 

The decisions were taken at a high-level meeting held by the chief minister at Pragathi Bhavan on crop colonies and cultivation of alternative crops.

Detailed instructions will be given to field-level officers through a video conference on May 15.The regulation is also applicable to the cultivation of vegetables and farmers would be guided on varieties of vegetables to be cultivated based on location and extent of area.

The government also decided to set up a new Seed Regulatory Authority to ensure only seeds of crops identified by the government are sold.

Seed producers and traders would also be instructed to strictly adhere to the state government guidelines in this regard. If required, the state government would bring about necessary amendments in the existing Telangana Seeds Act, it is learnt.

In tune with the new comprehensive agriculture policy, both the agriculture and marketing departments will be revamped.

While Prof Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University will conduct more research on the required crops for cultivation in the state, the Rythu Bandhu Samithis will actively coordinate with the farmers on all agricultural issues.

The chief minister has said, “Unfortunately, none of the political parties which led the previous governments in India made no focused attempts to bring agricultural reforms. But the Telangana Government has been making numerous efforts to improve the conditions. Besides resolving all pending problems, we are bringing reforms to change the entire manner in which cultivation was taken up earlier.”