The Telangana Farmers’ Commission has asked the Government to focus on crop diversification by promoting the cultivation of horticultural crops, including vegetables, pulses and oilseeds to reduce losses caused by monocropping. It also called for the promotion of traditional crops like turmeric and sugar cane.
In a 40-page report submitted to the Government, the Commission has called for price support and insurance cover for all the alternative crops to encourage farmers to go for crop diversification.
It wanted the State Government to set up ‘Vegetable Clusters’ and horticultural Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) on the lines of those set up by Sahyadri in Maharashtra.
It observed that the area under paddy and cotton has gone up significantly because of the availability of minimum support price (MSP) for these crops and the government support in the form of procurement. It also called for efforts to promote export-grade fruits and vegetables.
Commission Chairman M Kodanda Reddy told businessline that the paddy area under paddy has gone up by nearly four times to 1.27 crore acres in 2024-25 from 35 lakh acres in 2013-14. During the same time, the area under vegetables has plummeted to 1 lakh acres from 5.45 lakh acres during the same period.
During the same time, the area under vegetables has plummeted to 1 lakh acres from 5.45 lakh acres during the same period.
The Commission, in its report, felt that procurement of paddy and cotton, which is being handled by the Central agencies like Food Corporation of India and Cotton Corporation of India, might face challenges in the future.
“It is imperative that we go for crop diversification. There is an urgent need to promote vegetables, fruits and flowers, which can give higher incomes to farmers, and increase the area under these alternative crops,” the report said.
With regard to traditional crops such as mangoes, turmeric and chillies, it wanted the government to facilitate the establishment of processing units and other post-harvest facilities in and around the production areas.
“States like Punjab and Haryana are providing financial incentives to farmers for switching to alternative crops. We should also consider offer such incentives in the State,” Kodanda Reddy said.
Published on May 11, 2026