Tenant farmers miss relief despite massive crop losses: Survey

Welfare Gap 

1. 85.2% tenant farmers suffered severe crop losses
2. Only 0.7% affected farmers received disaster compensation
3. Just 22.8% accessed subsidised urea in Yasangi
4. Only 6.7% cotton farmers sold to CCI in own names
5. Lease rates touched Rs.53,000 per acre

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

A survey conducted across Telangana has revealed widespread distress among tenant farmers, with most unable to access key government support systems despite bearing the risks of cultivation. The study found that 85.2 per cent of surveyed tenant farmers suffered severe crop losses due to floods, heavy rains and hailstorms during the last three years, but only 11 out of 1,548 affected farmers, or just 0.7 per cent, received disaster relief compensation directly into their bank accounts.

The findings were released on Tuesday by the Telangana Tenant Farmers’ Recognition Struggle Committee, which surveyed 1,816 tenant farmers through personal interviews in 57 villages across 47 mandals in 22 districts. The committee, formed in April 2026 and chaired by economist Prof. D. Narasimha Reddy, said the survey highlights the urgent need for formal recognition of tenant cultivators.

The report was released at a meeting attended by Justice Sudarshan Reddy, Prof. Haragopal, Telangana Farmers Commission Chairman M. Kodand Reddy, Dr. Rukmini Rao, Akunuri Murali, Justice Chandrakumar and representatives of farmer and civil society organisations. Tenant farmers from Sangareddy, Karimnagar, Adilabad and Vikarabad shared their experiences.

The survey found that access to government support remains severely restricted for tenant cultivators. During the recent Yasangi season, only 412 of the 1,816 surveyed farmers, or 22.8 per cent, were able to obtain subsidised urea. Of them, only 40 farmers, or 2.2 per cent, received the fertiliser under their own names, while the rest depended on landowners. Many excluded farmers reported paying up to Rs.500 per bag in the open market compared to the subsidised price of Rs.260.

Crop procurement systems were also found to be inaccessible for many tenant farmers. Only 77 out of 1,137 cotton growers, or 6.7 per cent, sold produce to the Cotton Corporation of India in their own names. Among paddy farmers, only 20 per cent sold their produce through official procurement channels during Kharif 2025, while the figure fell to 17.2 per cent during Rabi 2025. For maize and soybean growers, the direct procurement success rate stood at only 8.5 per cent.

The report also highlighted rising cultivation costs and growing indebtedness. Lease rates have increased sharply, reaching as high as Rs.53,000 per acre, with the average lease rate standing at Rs.14,936 per acre. Tenant farmers reported dependence on private loans carrying interest rates between 24 and 36 per cent, with debts ranging from Rs.2 lakh to Rs.10 lakh.

Addressing the meeting, Justice Sudarshan Reddy urged the State government to immediately implement the Land Licensed Cultivators Act, 2011. He said the Chief Minister should fulfil the promise made to tenant farmers and ensure that welfare benefits reach actual cultivators. Responding to the concerns, M. Kodand Reddy assured that the Farmers Commission would take up the issues with the government.

The committee demanded immediate issuance of Loan and Other Benefits Eligibility Cards (LECs) to enable tenant farmers to directly access subsidies, procurement payments, disaster compensation and other welfare schemes.