3 weeks ago
Telangana Farmers Sow 10% More Area Despite El Nino Fears
Farmers in Telangana, a state in India, plant crops during a season called Kharif.
This year, the rainy season got off to a poor start.
There were also worries that the rains would become weaker because of something called El Nino.
El Nino is a weather pattern that can change rainfall.
Even so, the farmers planted crops in 10 per cent more land than they did last year.
A university checked the farmlands using satellite pictures.
It found that farmers had sown crops on about 33 lakh acres of land by July 29.
That is equal to about one-third of the land normally used for Kharif crops.
Farmers also grew more pulses and oilseeds this time.
The government encouraged this by telling farmers about the benefits of growing different crops.
Telangana farmers sowed crops in 32,93,335 acres by July 29, 10 per cent more than on the same date last year.
Sowing continued despite a poor start to the monsoon and the prospect of El Nino-related rains tapering off.
The sown area represents 34 per cent of the state's normal Kharif cropped area of 98,13,628 acres.
Yadadri Bhuvanagiri led districts by covering 57.3 per cent of its normal area, while Khammam trailed at 16.5 per cent.
Area under pulses and oilseed crops increased, a shift attributed to government crop diversification campaigns; paddy, cotton and maize remain the major crops.
- Who
- Farmers across Telangana, with sowing data reported by Prof. Aldas Janaiah, Vice Chancellor of the Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agriculture University.
- What
- Farmers sowed crops in 10 per cent more area than last year, reaching 32,93,335 acres by July 29, despite a weak monsoon start and El Nino concerns.
- Where
- Telangana, India, with the report based on satellite imagery analysis at the university in Hyderabad.
- When
- As of July 29, 2026, compared with the same date in 2025; the data was released on a Wednesday.
- Why
- Farmers remained undeterred by the poor monsoon start and the risk of rain tapering off; the rise in pulses and oilseeds is attributed to government crop diversification awareness campaigns.
Key facts
- Sown area (till July 29)
- 32,93,335 acres
- Sown area (July 29, 2025)
- 2,465,691 acres
- Year-on-year increase
- 10 per cent
- Share of normal Kharif area
- 34 per cent
- Normal Kharif cropped area
- 98,13,628 acres
- Top sowing district
- Yadadri Bhuvanagiri (57.3 per cent)
- Lowest sowing district
- Khammam (16.5 per cent)
- Main crops
- Paddy, cotton, maize
Sources
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