Telangana sets all-time paddy procurement record: Uttam

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Telangana has created an all-time record in paddy procurement despite the Centre reducing its procurement target for the State, Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said. Addressing a press conference along with Ministers Adluri Lakshman and Vakiti Srihari at the Secretariat on Tuesday, Uttam Kumar Reddy said Telangana had procured 75 lakh metric tonnes of paddy during the current Yasangi/Rabi season, against the Centre’s approved target of only 52 lakh metric tonnes. He said another one to two lakh metric tonnes of paddy was likely to arrive at procurement centres in the next few days.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said the State government had honoured its promise of purchasing every grain brought by farmers to procurement centres. He noted that the government had borne an additional financial burden of about Rs 6,650 crore in the present Yasangi season alone to ensure that farmers received the Minimum Support Price.

“The Centre fixed a target of only 52 LMT. But we went ahead and procured 75 LMT to protect Telangana farmers. Our priority is clear- Telangana paddy farmers must be protected first,” he said.

The Minister said Telangana had emerged as the single largest Rabi paddy producing and procuring State in the country. Over 61 % of the total Yasangi paddy procured in India came from Telangana alone. In comparison, Andhra Pradesh procured about 25 LMT, Tamil Nadu 12 LMT, Maharashtra 5 LMT, Odisha 4 LMT and Kerala 2 LMT during the season.

He stressed that procurement during Yasangi was more challenging than Kharif, as the entire crop arrived at procurement centres within 40 to 45 days. Despite this short window, the State successfully handled massive arrivals, arranged procurement centres, gunny bags, transport, mill movement and payments.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said the total Kharif and Rabi procurement in the current KMS 2025–26 season had already crossed 147 LMT, making it the highest-ever paddy procurement in the history of Telangana and even combined Andhra Pradesh. This record was achieved under normal market conditions, unlike the COVID period when private markets were shut, he pointed out.

The Minister said the State had paid about Rs 35,077 crore directly into 25.20 lakh bank accounts of the farmers for Kharif and Rabi procurement. The current government had paid much higher amounts to farmers through MSP procurement when compared with earlier years.

He strongly criticised the BJP-led Central government for reducing Telangana’s paddy procurement quota even as production was increasing due to better irrigation and farmer-friendly policies. He said Telangana followed the MSP price, FAQ norms, moisture conditions and other rules prescribed by the Centre, and therefore the Centre must procure the entire grain purchased by the State.

Uttam Kumar Reddy also said that opposition parties had tried to create panic over wet paddy and gunny bags. He clarified that 12,557 metric tonnes of rain-affected paddy had also been purchased at MSP and shifted to boiled rice mills within 12 hours

Uttam pushes Solar power drive on Irrigation lands 

Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has directed the Irrigation Department to prioritize solar power generation on available irrigation lands, reservoirs and canal systems to reduce energy costs and create sustainable power sources. Reviewing irrigation power requirements at Jala Soudha on Tuesday, he asked officials to prepare proposals without delay by utilizing in-house expertise or engaging professional agencies.

The Minister said the department spends heavily on power for irrigation and lift schemes and must actively develop its own energy resources through solar and pumped storage projects. Feasibility studies at 16 reservoirs indicate that utilizing just 10 percent of suitable reservoir and irrigation land could support an estimated 6,000 to 7,000 MW of solar capacity.

Officials were asked to explore locations such as Manjira and Singur reservoirs. A proposed 20 MW canal based solar project between Jagora and Chandora could generate surplus power, save significant energy costs, create revenue and benefit nearly 8,000 acres while delivering environmental advantages.