Paddy dominance may put Telangana farmers at risk amid poor monsoon fears
HYDERABAD: Telangana’s continued preference for paddy cultivation, which helped the state become the country’s leading rice producer, could create irrigation challenges during the upcoming Kharif season if monsoon rains remain below normal.
Farmers cultivated paddy on 67.57 lakh acres during the 2025 Kharif season. Official estimates show the crop consumed about 286 thousand million cubic feet (TMCft) of water. That is more than the full storage capacity of the Srisailam reservoir, which holds 215 TMCft. It is also more than one-and-a-half times the 180 TMCft capacity of Nagarjuna Sagar.
Agricultural scientists estimate that each acre of paddy needs around 12 lakh litres of water during a crop season. Nearly half of Telangana’s paddy acreage depends on groundwater irrigation. This dependence has raised concerns about water availability if rainfall remains deficient.
A senior government official said groundwater levels have remained healthy in recent years. However, poor rainfall and lower storage in tanks, lakes and rivers could reduce groundwater availability as the season progresses.
Surface water shortages may hit groundwater recharge
Officials warned that heavy dependence on groundwater could become a major challenge if weak rainfall reduces surface water resources.
“Farmers have become accustomed to paddy, often called a ‘lazy crop’. They receive 24-hour power supply and pump groundwater round the clock,” the official said.
The official said farmers may not face problems during the initial planting phase. However, they could struggle during later irrigation cycles. Maintaining standing water in fields may become difficult if groundwater recharge slows because of reduced surface water levels.
Paddy covered more than two-thirds of Telangana’s total cropped area of about 90 lakh acres during the previous Kharif season. If farmers maintain similar acreage this year, water demand will likely remain at the same level. Groundwater extraction will meet nearly half of that demand.
Officials said farmers in Nalgonda, Suryapet, Kamareddy, Jangaon, Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Yadadri Bhuvanagiri districts rely heavily on groundwater for paddy cultivation.
Government considers incentives
Agriculture department officials said they are running awareness campaigns to discourage paddy cultivation during the coming Kharif season. However, they remain unsure how many farmers will switch to alternative crops.
Government officials have discussed proposals to encourage farmers to avoid paddy cultivation. However, they have not taken a final decision.
“There is no certainty that the government will adopt such a proposal. Political sensitivities may arise if the government formally advises farmers against paddy while offering incentives to grow other crops,” an agriculture department official said.
The state government is closely monitoring monsoon forecasts and water availability. Farmers’ decisions in the coming weeks will play a key role in determining irrigation demand and groundwater reserves during the Kharif season.
