HYDERABAD: Ignoring the huge row over procurement, and the government’s warning against sowing the crop, a section of farmers has started planting paddy. As of now, farmers have cultivated paddy in around 25,000 acres in various districts.
Free power and paddy procurement by government agencies encouraged farmers to intensively cultivate paddy over the last few years. Paddy cultivation in the 2019 rabi season was 39.31 lakh acres which increased to 52.80 lakh acres in 2020. Based on previous data, the agriculture department estimated the crop area in 2021 rabi at 31.01 lakh acres.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao then suggested that farmers not go for paddy in the ensuing rabi (yasangi) season. He directed agriculture department officials to encourage the cultivation of alternative crops.
Citing 'restrictions' of the Centre on paddy procurement, the government asked farmers to go for irrigated dry (ID) crops. The CM made it clear that the state government will not purchase paddy grown in rabi.
However, some farmers who have the submersible borewell facility have preferred to cultivate paddy. In other districts, farmers have shifted from paddy and to sunflower, groundnut and other crops.
Farmers begin plantation in areas under lift irrigation and those watered from tanks. In some places, farmers wait for the completion of procurement before sowing paddy again.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a farmer, G. Prabhakar of Damarancha in Birkur mandal in Kamareddy district, said he had decided to go in for paddy. "Our soil is not suitable for ID crops," he explained. “If we fail to cultivate in rabi, we will be unable to earn for the next crop in Vanakalam (kharif) season,” he said.
What about the Chief Minister saying the government will not purchase paddy? "If government agencies do not purchase paddy, we will sell it to private persons," he said.
On the other hand, officials have started awareness campaigns in villages urging farmers not to sow the paddy. Scientists and agriculture officials are briefing farmers that a change in crop pattern would strengthen the soil and minimise cultivation expenses. District collectors have directed agriculture officials to explain to the farmers about restrictions imposed by the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
