Agriculture News

Hyderabad: From being treated like kings to being chased on the streets like criminals, Telangana’s farmers remain locked in a near-permanent protest mode even as the 2025 Kharif harvest season ends. Sporadic demonstrations that began in early 2024, soon after the Congress came to power, have escalated into highway blockades, dharnas and frequent clashes with police, reflecting anger over unfulfilled electoral promises, climate disasters and persistent input and procurement problems. The Congress government, which came to power in December 2023, repeatedly claimed it had waived crop loans worth Rs 21,000 crore benefiting around 25 lakh farmers in 2024. However, thousands of farmers say the waived amount was credited to their accounts only to be debited overnight without explanation. Banks continue aggressive recovery, pushing many small and marginal farmers towards financial trouble.

On weekends, people in cars and on bikes can be seen driving through narrow roads in villages of Shamirpet Mandal in Medchal Malkajgiri, looking for grape orchards to buy the fruits in huge quantities. Until a few decades ago, those traveling on highways leading to Hyderabad used to see huge tracts of the orchards in the city periphery including Shamshabad, Tukkuguda, Bolarum, Shamirpet and few more places. At one point of time, the fruits cultivated in the orchards were consumed in European and other countries as the city was prominent for the exports.

Farmers in several districts of Telangana are facing difficulties in accessing urea for the ongoing Kharif season. In Bheemini, in Mancherial district, farmers gathered at the local Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society for three days, requesting the timely supply of urea. When the society failed to meet its needs, they staged a protest and demanded intervention from officials. Following the protest, the society temporarily halted distribution of the remaining stock. Farmers alleged that private traders had sufficient urea and were selling it on the black market. Agriculture officials responded by assuring strict action against any trader found selling urea illegally.

As deficit rainfall continues to plague the monsoon season, farmers in five districts of the erstwhile Warangal district have been once again asked to go for short-duration paddy varieties. The situation has raised concerns among the farming community. It may be noted here that the government made the decision to advance paddy cultivation in the Yasangi season to mitigate the risk of heavy crop damage caused by untimely rains. Consequently, officials are now advising farmers to cultivate nurseries of short-duration paddy varieties during the Vanakalam season. Notable varieties recommended include Kunaram Sannalu, Kunaram 1638, Bathukamma, Warangal 962, RNR 21278, RNR 29325, Jagtial 1798, Telangana Sona, MTU 1010, Jagtial 24423, IR 64, and HMT Sona.

Farmers gearing up for season, are expected to go for cotton in a big way as early monsoon is expected to favour the crop.The government had targeted cotton in over 55 lakh acres this year. Hyderabad: The skies have started opening up with the southwest monsoons making an early advent bringing cheer to the farmers in the State. But the preparatory operations for Vanakalam (Kharif) are set to get underway on an uncertain note on different counts.Farmers have been complaining about short supply in seed, especially the sought after varieties of cotton seed. The delay in disbursal of the crop investment support has become another major concern. Even as the crop insurance coverage has been promised from Kharif this year, the State is yet to finalise the modalities for implementing it from the Vanakalam crops.

Gadwal: In a dramatic turn of events that showcased the resilience and unity of Telangana’s farming community, thousands of seed cotton farmers laid siege to the Jogulamba Gadwal District Collectorate, demanding justice against what they called a “corporate betrayal.” Their battle cry: “Buy every grain we harvested!” India News Updates What began as a peaceful protest escalated into a high-voltage agitation when seed companies and organizers abruptly announced that they would procure only 2 quintals of cotton per acre—a move that would have devastated farmers who had invested more than ₹1 lakh per acre expecting full-scale procurement. Farmers’ Revolt Shakes the District Led by the Nadigadda Rights Protection Committee, farmers from across the district converged on the Collector’s office, occupying the premises and refusing to leave until justice was served. Powerful slogans echoed through the streets as the protest grew in intensity.

Gadwal: Farmers in several villages of Jogulamba Gadwal district, including Peddagoflapur, Ittikala, and Mangaldhinna, have been pushed into a state of distress and helplessness due to the alleged betrayal by seed companies and their agents. The companies, which initially supplied seeds without any conditions, have now issued last-minute directives to destroy large portions of the cotton crop, claiming they will only purchase a limited quantity. Despite a good growing season with timely rainfall and favorable weather conditions, which helped crops flourish and reach the flowering stage, seed companies have now backed out, stating they will purchase only 150 packets worth of produce per farmer. The rest, they insist, must be removed or destroyed — a move enforced through pressure by seed organizers (local intermediaries or agents). Farmers’ Despair and Anger The sudden reversal has left farmers devastated. Many of them took loans to cultivate seed cotton, investing heavily with the hope of recovering costs and making a small profit. Now, they are faced with the traumatic decision of cutting down healthy crops that are on the verge of harvest — not due to natural calamities, but because of corporate decisions. “I borrowed heavily, nurtured the crop carefully, and just as it’s ready to yield, they are asking me to destroy it. Where were these conditions when they gave me the seeds?” laments one of the affected farmers. The companies are reportedly offering a compensation of just ₹10,000 per acre for the destroyed crop — an amount that barely scratches the surface of actual investments. The farmers, however, argue that this is an unfair trade-off, as many of them spent far more on fertilizers, pesticides, and labor.