Super El Nino To Hit Kharif Rice Production In Telangana
Telangana’s Kharif paddy area has fallen over 10 lakh acres amid deficient rainfall and Super El Niño concerns. Paddy output could decline up to 20%, while the state prepares 8,283 procurement centres to purchase 65 lakh tonnes from farmers.
Hyderabad: Super El Nino is expected to severely impact the staple food of rice in Telangana. The adverse weather conditions have led to a widespread concern among the farming community over the significant decrease in the yield during the Kharif season.
Agriculture Department and Civil Supplies Department statistics point towards a decrease in Kharif rice cultivation by more than 10 lakh acres as compared to last year’s monsoon season. In 2025-26, Telangana achieved an all-time record of 148.3 lakh tonnes of production from 67.57 lakh acres. But official sources estimate a sowing on only 55,89,862 acres in the 2025-26 monsoon season resulting in an expected yield of 119.57 lakh metric tonnes of rice.
Sources said that climate change has led to unexpected changes in the agricultural sector of Telangana. The area under paddy cultivation is expected to fall drastically due to deficient rainfall in this year’s Kharif season, upsetting the estimates.
While the normal cultivation area in this year’s Kharif season was set at 1,32,38,446 acres, crops are being grown only in 1, 24, 90, 516 acres. This area has decreased by 6% in comparison to last year. In the case of paddy, the area has been limited to 85% of last year. The previous year saw a record 66,74,798 acres of paddy cultivation that exceeded the target.
The Civil Supplies Corporation claims to be making arrangements to purchase a total of 65 lakh metric tonnes of Kharif produce.
The paddy procurement is expected to start from October 15 and all the procurement centres are being prepared for the exercise and make them available to the farmers by October 1. This time, paddy is planned to be procured through Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) centres, primary agricultural cooperative centres and other procurement centres across the state. A total of 8,283 grain purchase centres have been set up across the state.
The central government has fixed the minimum support price (MSP) for Grade-A grain at Rs. 2,461 per quintal and for normal grain at Rs. 2,441. The Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy has asked the officials to ensure a smooth procurement that is to be undertaken at a cost of Rs. 18,250 crores.
Market sources are worried that the paddy yield in Telangana is likely to fall by up to 20% this time in the wake of the lack of rain due to the effect of Super El Nino.
According to the estimates released by the Telangana Agriculture Department, paddy was to be cultivated in an area of over 65 lakh acres, but this area has decreased by more than 10 lakh acres contrary to the target set. Sources said that this time the farmers have focused on alternative crops.
After the division of the joint Andhra Pradesh, paddy cultivation in Telangana has been increasing every year along with the increase in yields. Since the start of the Kharif season this year, there has been 15% less than normal rainfall recorded across the country since June 1. Some states have experienced a deficit of up to 42%.
In Telangana, Adilabad, Warangal, Khammam, Nalgonda, Suryapet and other districts are facing drought-like situations. The expected water levels in major reservoirs and water bodies in the catchment areas of Krishna and Godavari rivers are not sufficient.
Sources in the Agriculture and Civil Supplies Departments reveal that factors such as urea shortage, fertilizer application management difficulties, and lack of awareness among the farmers will have a serious impact on the output.
India is the world’s largest rice exporter. If production decreases, prices will increase. With rice prices already at their highest in a year, consumers are protesting and expressing concern everywhere. Premium rice varieties like Sambamasuri, Telangana Sona, Jai Shriram, HMT are being sold at Rs. 80 to Rs 100 per kg in the retail market.
While regular rice was priced at Rs. 25 per kg in retail in 2014, it is now priced at Rs. 55 to Rs 70.
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Source : ETV Bharat
