Telangana farmers’ preference for veggies, spices over paddy continues in Yasangi 2026

The extent of area sown for horticulture crops increases in Telangana under the impact of El Nino. The image is used for representative purposes only. | Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT

As farmers in Telangana experience the impact of El Nino, they continue to choose vegetables, spices and other horticulture culture over traditional choices including paddy.

The change which was witnessed from Kharif, continued in Yasangi (Rabi) — though it has been only a month for this season. While the extent of sowing area of horticulture crops in Kharif 2025-26 was 2.25 lakh acres, it increased to 3.54 lakh acres in this Kharif, an increase of 1.28 lakh acres. Officials said that as paddy is being harvested now, more area may be used to replace it with horticulture crops in the coming months.

October 1-28

While horticulture crops were sown in 6,552 acres between October 1 to 28 in 2025, it has increased to 15,864 acres in corresponding 28 days of this year. The highest of 3,953 acres more sown area was recorded in Rangareddy, followed by 1,395 acres more in Sangareddy; 1,146 acres in Siddipet; 1,098 acres Mahabubnagar; 728 acres in Warangal and 659 acres in Vikarabad, according to the Horticulture department’s latest data.

Director of State Horticulture, Shaik Yasmeen Basha, said that the amount of water that an acre of paddy requires, can be used to cultivate oil palm over four acres, and vegetables over five to six acres. The returns on investments too are high. As the horticulture yield in the next few months is anticipated to be around 20% low because of erratic weather, including high heat, farmers may get good returns from high demand, the senior official said. District Horticulture and Sericulture Officers (DHSO) were directed to support farmers by providing drip irrigation resources and sprinklers. 

Director of Telangana Horticulture Department, Shaik Yasmeen Basha | Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT

Suitable seeds from national institutes

The Director said that they spoke to National Seed Corporation and Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, who are ready to supply seed varieties which can withstand drought. “We are ensuring farmers can purchase seeds from the institutes,” said Ms. Basha. Officials said that suitable varieties of leafy vegetables, cluster beans, okra and other crops can be cultivated in paddy fallow lands.

Rangareddy DHSO K. Suresh said that increasing prices of vegetables, weekly markets in bylanes, accessibility to vegetable markets in Hyderabad and surrounding areas, played a key role in farmers choosing to cultivate more vegetables. 

Vikarabad DHSO M.A. Sattar said that farmers in the districts preferred to cultivate spices - including turmeric, onions and ajwain over other crops. Mahabubnagar DHSO K. Venugopal said that vegetable cultivation in Yasangi is predominantly market-driven and relies on assured borewell irrigation rather than rainfed systems.

Published - October 31, 2026 01:32 pm IST