Telangana To Script History With Record Paddy Production And Procurement This Kharif: Uttam Kumar Reddy

· Minister Uttam reviews preparations for historic 148 LMT paddy output and 80 LMT procurement

Hyderabad, October 7: Telangana is poised to create history with the highest-ever paddy production and procurement in the country’s history. Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday said the State was on course to achieve a record 148.30 lakh tonnes of paddy production during the Kharif (Vanakalam) 2025–26 season, surpassing all previous figures in independent India.

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Chairing a high-level review meeting with senior officials at the Civil Supplies Bhavan, Uttam Kumar Reddy said Telangana’s growth in agriculture reflected not only the success of irrigation expansion but also the efficiency of procurement and delivery systems put in place over the last decade. The meeting was attended by newly appointed Civil Supplies Commissioner Stephen Ravindra and other senior officers from the department.

The Minister said that 67.57 lakh acres were cultivated with paddy this season, including 40.75 lakh acres under fine varieties and 26.82 lakh acres under coarse (Doddu) varieties, resulting in an estimated 90.46 lakh tonnes and 57.84 lakh tonnes of production, respectively. The combined production of 148.30 lakh tonnes is the highest since the formation of Telangana and a record in independent India.

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“This achievement belongs to the farmers of Telangana. Despite challenges of logistics and finance, our State continues to lead the nation in paddy cultivation and procurement. The ongoing Kharif season will mark a new chapter — Telangana will make history by recording the highest paddy production and procurement ever achieved in India,” Uttam Kumar Reddy told officials.

The Minister said the Civil Supplies Corporation would procure 80 lakh metric tonnes (LMTs) of paddy during this season. The total fund requirement for procurement at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) has been estimated at Rs 21,112 crore, of which Rs 19,112 crore is directly towards MSP payments to farmers.

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“The Centre must immediately release the pending rice subsidy of Rs 6,500 crore to Telangana, which will help us sustain the MSP payments without delay. Farmers have full confidence in the government’s procurement system, and it is our responsibility to ensure payments reach them promptly,” he said.

Uttam Kumar Reddy announced that the Congress Government would continue the Rs 500 per quintal bonus for fine paddy, benefitting lakhs of farmers cultivating fine-grain varieties. For the current year, the total requirement for this bonus has been estimated at Rs 3,159 crore (including Rabi and Kharif seasons).

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“The bonus has encouraged farmers to shift from coarse to fine-grain paddy, which has higher export potential and market value. Telangana rice is now being exported to several countries, including the Philippines,” the Minister noted.

Uttam Kumar Reddy expressed serious concern over the shortage of storage space in the State. Out of the 22.61 LMTs of godown capacity available with the Food Corporation of India (FCI), nearly 21.72 LMTs are already occupied, leaving barely 0.89 LMTs of vacant space.

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He said approximately 20 LMTs of boiled rice are currently lying idle in FCI godowns due to the lack of outward movement to consuming States, blocking the space needed for new stocks.

“The Government of India must immediately facilitate the movement of boiled rice to consuming States. We have written several times to the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and to the CMD of FCI, requesting additional railway rakes for stock movement. Unless the Centre cooperates, procurement operations will face logistical bottlenecks,” he warned.

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The Minister said Telangana had requested the Centre to consider several urgent measures to ensure smooth procurement and storage operations. These include enhancement of the boiled rice target by 10 lakh metric tonnes under the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024–25 to match the State’s production capacity, and an extension of the deadline for Rabi 2024–25 rice deliveries by three months beyond October 31, 2025, as about 19.76 LMTs of rice — comprising 14.47 LMTs of raw rice and 5.29 LMTs of boiled rice — are yet to be delivered.

The State Government has also sought approval for lifting 9.43 LMTs of un-allotted fine paddy procured beyond the Government of India’s target under the State Pool Rice mechanism, besides requesting the release of the pending rice subsidy of Rs 6,500 crore to the Telangana State Civil Supplies Corporation to bridge the MSP funding shortfall.

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“These are legitimate demands. Telangana has exceeded all national benchmarks in rice production, and we expect proportional support from the Centre to ensure smooth procurement, storage, and movement,” he said.

The Minister said Telangana’s consistent rise in paddy output — from 72 LMTs in 2019–20 to 148 LMTs in 2025–26 — is a direct result of irrigation-led transformation, modern procurement mechanisms, and strong political will.

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“In just six years, Telangana has more than doubled its paddy production, and what we are witnessing today is an agricultural revolution driven by infrastructure and institutional efficiency,” he said.

The Minister directed officials to prepare a detailed action plan for coordination with FCI, covering godown utilisation, wagon allotments, and district-level procurement scheduling to prevent bottlenecks during the peak season. He said regular review meetings would be held to ensure that every grain reaching the market yard is purchased without delay.

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He also asked officials to prepare proposals for additional godown creation, revival of idle warehouse capacities, and temporary storage arrangements at procurement centres until FCI clearance improves.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said Telangana’s achievement was a matter of pride for every farmer. “This is not just a record for Telangana — it is a record in independent India. No other State has achieved this scale of paddy production and procurement. We have built systems that are transparent, farmer-friendly, and technically robust,” he said.

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He assured that the Government would take all necessary measures to ensure smooth procurement, timely MSP payments, and effective coordination with the Centre, reaffirming Telangana’s position as India’s rice capital. (Maxim News)

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