Withering crops, growing debt: Delayed monsoon pushes farmers to the brink in Telangana
Delayed monsoon rains have deepened Telangana farmers’ debt concerns, threatening crop losses, re-sowing costs and rural employment. With average farm debt nearing ₹1.5 lakh and many relying on high-interest loans, farmers are seeking subsidies, loan waivers and stronger long-term support measures.
Nednur (Rangareddy): As the monsoon falters across Telangana, farmers in Nednur village on the outskirts of Hyderabad are staring at the prospect of crop failure, mounting losses and another season of debt. After investing thousands of rupees per acre in sowing operations triggered by early pre-monsoon showers, cultivators now watch helplessly as maize saplings wither in parched fields, uncertain whether the rains will arrive in time to save the season.
Located about 48 km from Hyderabad, Nednur‘s nearly 5,000 acres of farmland are largely rain-fed. Maize, cotton and vegetables are the main crops cultivated here. Encouraged by scattered showers a few weeks ago, farmers began sowing, but the prolonged dry spell has left seeds ungerminated and young plants struggling to survive.
“We have already spent around Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per acre, but the plants are drying up because of the lack of rainfall,” said Naraboni Mallesh, who owns five acres and had planned to cultivate maize this season. Farmers say the situation could worsen even if rains arrive later, as many may have to start cultivation afresh. “If the rain comes later, we will have to repeat the entire process because the seeds have not germinated. That means spending again on the same acre in the same season,” said farmer Kanayagari Balaraj.
For tenant farmers, the crisis is particularly severe. In addition to cultivation expenses, many have already paid lease amounts to landowners — payments that are unlikely to be recovered if the crop fails.
“We have already paid the tenant fee to the landowner. If the crop is lost because of the rainfall deficit, that money will not come back,” said N Parvathalu, adding that another round of cultivation would only push farmers deeper into debt.
The anxiety gripping Nednur mirrors a broader challenge across Telangana, where farm indebtedness remains among the highest in the country despite repeated loan waiver schemes. According to the National Statistical Office’s situation assessment survey of agricultural households, the average outstanding debt of an agricultural household in Telangana is nearly Rs 1.5 lakh, more than double the national average of around Rs 74,000. More than four-fifths of the state’s farm households are indebted.
That uncertainty is evident in the fields of Vaguri Yadaiah, who cultivated maize on over 18 acres spread across multiple land parcels. While past seasons yielded enough produce to fill three truckloads, this year he is unsure whether even a fraction of the acreage will survive. “Even if it rains later, we may have to switch to other crops. The worry is whether inputs will be available by then,” he said.
The delayed monsoon has also disrupted rural livelihoods beyond farms. Agricultural labourers who typically depend on kharif operations for work have seen employment opportunities dry up as field activity slows. “We already took loans for the initial investment and that money is lost. If we have to cultivate the same acre again in the same season, the cost could rise to nearly Rs 50,000. This is the time when farmers need loan waivers again or some subsidy,” said farm labourer Somaraju Venkatesh.
Farmers fear that crop failure could make it difficult to repay existing loans and secure fresh credit for re-sowing, forcing many to turn to private lenders and input dealers who charge exorbitant interest rates. Studies on tenant farming in Telangana show that cultivators often borrow at annual interest rates of 24% to 36% to meet cultivation costs.
“It is ironic that a state which has gone through several cycles of farm loan waivers still finds farmers worried about getting trapped in debt once again. This shows that systemic changes are needed to support cultivators with input costs. It is not just about Rythu Bharosa anymore,” said Ravi Kanneganti of Rythu Swarajya Vedika. With kharif operations stalled and rainfall continuing to evade the region, farmers in Nednur are watching the skies with growing anxiety.
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Source : The Times Of India
