Two crops dominated Telangana farmers’ preference in Vanakalam 2025; paddy and cotton continue to be most sown

Out of the total 1.37 crore acres of area sown in Telangana in Vanakalam (Kharif) 2025, 87.50% of it was used only for two crops — paddy (69.89 lakh acres) and cotton (50.70 lakh acres). The two along with maize, redgram and soyabean constituted 98% of the total agricultural crop area in the season.

While the State government has been urging farmers to opt for crop diversification by cultivating less-water intensive and drought resistant crops considering the impact of El Nino, the Agriculture department’s latest statistics on the crop wise area sown in the ongoing Vanakalam till July 14 indicate that most farmers went with what they cultivated in the corresponding cropping season of the previous year.  

Top 10 crops

The top ten crops cultivated in the State in the previous Vanakalam, going by the crop wise area sown are paddy (69.89 lakh acres), cotton (50.70 lakh acres), maize (6.90 lakh acres), redgram (4.31 lakh acres), soyabean (3.80 lakh acres), blackgram (61,093 acres), greengram (46,954 acres), sugarcane (34,827 acres), groundnut (25,186 acres) and jowar (24,339 acres), as per information in Telangana Agriculture department’s ‘El Nino Contingency Plan Vanakalam 2026’ released on Thursday (July 16, 2026).

No major change in crop preferences so far

When the area sown for various crops in Vanakalam till July 14 of the previous year and this year was considered, paddy cultivation has gone up from 5,66,710 acres to 6,37,586 acres; cotton from 37,48,842 acres to 41,52,337 acres; redgram from 3,26,357 acres to 3,53,845 acres and soyabean from 3,15,565 acres to 3,35,685 acres. Meanwhile, sowing area of maize crop dropped from 5,70,674 acres to 3,63,552 acres. The statistics indicate no major changes in farmers’ preferences so far. 

Contingency crops suggested

The Agriculture department in its ‘El Nino Contingency Plan Vanakalam 2026’ has listed district-wise contingency crops that can be taken up in light soils and medium to heavy soils from July 16 to 31 and August 1 to 15. Cotton, redgram, and bajra were suggested for cultivation for most of the districts in the second half of July, while foxtail millet and redgram were the most suggested for August. A few more crops include short duration vegetables like greengram, blackgram, castor and others. 

It was also mentioned that the groundwater level in the State was 9.46 metres below ground level (MGBL) in June, 2026 and is likely to plummet to 10.35 MGBL in July and 11.01 MGBL in August, if there were to be 30% deficit rainfall. Concern over water levels in the State’s major, medium and minor reservoirs too was flagged.

Farmers were urged to opt for short duration and ground tolerant crops varieties, and avoid expanding area under water-intensive crops. Officials were directed to promote micro-irrigation such as drop and sprinkler system.