Oilseed Cultivation Shrinks Sharply Across Rayalaseema

KURNOOL: Oilseed cultivation across Rayalaseema has shrunk sharply this season, with the area under the crop falling from around 25,000 acres to just 10,000 acres amid deficient rainfall and poor irrigation availability. The State Economic Board has warned that the acreage could decline further to around 6,000 acres next season if the situation does not improve.

The decline is reflected in the State’s production indicators, with oilseed production standing at 2,43,925 tonnes, a fall of 15.7 per cent. Production of chillies, black pepper and turmeric has also declined by 17.9 per cent to 11,86,983 tonnes.

However, several other agriculture and allied sectors have recorded growth. Food grain production increased by 39.8 per cent, while vegetable production rose by 44.8 per cent. Production of banana, sweet orange and other fruits increased by 15.7 per cent, oil palm by 36.8 per cent and cashewnut, cocoa and other plantation crops by 10 per cent. Other spices recorded a sharp increase of 304.6 per cent.

The contraction in oilseeds comes at a time when prices of edible oils and oilseeds have already risen substantially in the State, putting additional pressure on consumers as well as farmers dependent on these crops.

“The fall in oilseed production directly affects farmers’ income. It can also have a bearing on exports and, ultimately, on the State’s agricultural contribution to the GDP,” said retired agriculture official C. Lakshminarayana.

Andhra Pradesh recorded a cumulative 51.8 per cent rainfall deficit during June and July, severely affecting crop sowing and establishment. The impact has been particularly severe in Rayalaseema, where a large part of cultivation depends on borewells and tanks.

Officials said the area under crops dependent on borewells and tanks had declined by nearly 80 per cent in several areas. Except in the command areas of a few reservoirs, farmers have largely been unable to take up irrigated crops.

The sharp reduction in oilseed acreage has raised concerns over the sustainability of cultivation in the region. Officials said the decline needed to be examined to determine the relative impact of reduced sowing area, lower yields, inadequate irrigation and other production constraints.

In Nandyal district, known for its Sona Masuri rice, officials said cultivation had also declined considerably this year.

“The turmeric crop has fallen drastically this year. After meeting the cultivation expenses, hardly anything was left for us. I have never seen such a situation in the past,” said M. Pullareddy, a farmer from Mydukur.

Groundnut, red gram and cotton are among the crops that have witnessed a substantial decline in cultivation across several Rayalaseema districts, officials said. The reduction in acreage has intensified concerns over farm incomes in a region already vulnerable to rainfall fluctuations.

At the national level, kharif sowing was 4.7 per cent lower than last year as of August. Pulses acreage declined by 7.5 per cent, rice by 2.6 per cent and oilseeds by 2.1 per cent. However, officials said the overall sowing deficit was gradually narrowing with improvement in monsoon conditions across the country.

Officials cautioned against directly comparing the latest kharif situation with annual or second-half production figures for 2025-26. The performance of the 2026-27 agricultural year has to be assessed separately based on current rainfall, sowing acreage and crop conditions.

Agriculture experts said the sharp decline in cultivated area, particularly under oilseeds, would be difficult to reverse unless rainfall and irrigation availability improved substantially in the coming weeks.

Crop trends in state

DECLINED

Oilseeds — Kharif: 2,43,925 MT — Declined 15.7%

Chillies, black pepper & turmeric: 11,86,983 MT — Declined 17.9%

INCREASED

Food grains — Kharif: 1,23,23,129 MT — Increased 39.8%

Banana, sweet orange & other fruits: 94,21,374 MT — Increased 15.7%

Mango: 51,99,800 MT — Increased 4.7%

Vegetables: 27,67,462 MT — Increased 44.8%

Other spices: 89,383 MT — Increased 304.6%

Cashewnut, cocoa & other plantation crops: 22,35,655 MT — Increased 10%

Oil palm: 14,01,285 MT — Increased 36.8%

Jasmine & chrysanthemum: 3,65,646 MT — Increased 8.2%

Crossandra & other flowers: 1,44,495 MT — Increased 45.2%