Telangana farmers plan Yasangi cropping as water levels and costs guide choices

Water and Irrigation Planning

Farmers across Telangana are preparing their fields for the Yasangi season as the Kharif season wraps up with harvesting and cotton picking. Planning requires careful checks on soil moisture, pond levels, and groundwater, especially since higher temperatures or lower rainfall can put pressure on these sources. According to official data from 2023-24, wells account for roughly 66 percent of the state's gross irrigated area, meaning underground water is crucial. Farmers must evaluate how long their borewell ran last summer, how much water it pumps per minute now, and how quickly it recovers. Relying only on early winter water levels can lead to severe shortages by March and April when crops reach critical stages. Studies in Vargal show that Rabi paddy needed about 57.9 lakh litres per acre in 2020 and 50 lakh litres per acre in 2023. Over-pumping not only strains local water tables but also increases pressure on electricity supply.

Crop Choices and Challenges

While farmers often prefer paddy due to familiar farming methods and assured procurement, heavy challenges remain. Monkey menace, guarding costs, labor expenses, and transport fees eat into profits. Data from Suryapet indicates that Yasangi cultivation may drop significantly from 5.20 lakh acres last year to 2.20 lakh acres this season due to lower water availability, with paddy expected to cover 1.30 lakh acres and dry crops covering 90,000 acres. Officials like DAO Sridhar Reddy have advised growing dry crops, and farmers are already preparing nurseries for groundnut, maize, and black gram. For those sticking with paddy, leveling fields, fixing bunds, and using alternate wetting and drying methods under expert guidance can save water. Managing monkeys requires joint community effort, crop loss tracking, and coordination with agriculture and forest departments, alongside buyer arrangements for pulses, oilseeds, and coarse grains to ensure fair net incomes.

Context

Seasonal planning is a regular part of agricultural cycles in Indian states where irrigation depends heavily on a mix of groundwater and rainfall. Decisions made ahead of the sowing period dictate both household financial returns and local resource sustainability for the months ahead.