Telangana’s Rabi paddy sowing for 2025-26 has risen 10-15%, driven by full reservoirs and assured irrigation. Experts warn this overreliance could threaten crop diversity, oilseed production, and storage capacity, while fertiliser supply may fall short if expansion continues.
With Rabi sowing underway across Telangana, agriculture experts have cautioned that the State’s growing reliance on paddy, an irrigation-intensive crop, could push it towards a monocrop crisis. Preliminary reports indicate a 10-15 per cent rise in Rabi paddy acreage for the 2025-26 season compared to last year.
The extended monsoon has left reservoirs in both the Godavari and Krishna basins brimming well into November, encouraging farmers to opt for paddy on a large scale. Agronomists, however, warn that such unchecked expansion could threaten crop diversity and water sustainability in the long run.