Bumper rice yield in 2023-24 vaults Telangana to No. 1 spot

By Manda Ravinder Reddy

Telangana registered a record in rice production during 2023-24, vaulting to the No. 1 spot in the country.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture’s final estimates of major agriculture crops during 2023-24, Telangana became the largest rice producing state in India with 168.75 lakh metric tonnes (LMT). The total rice production in India was 1378.25 LMT of which Telangana’s share was 168.75 LMT, a whopping 12.5% of total rice produced in India. Telangana is followed by Uttar Pradesh with 159.9 LMT, West Bengal with 156.87 LMT, Punjab 143.56 LMT and Chhattisgarh 97.03 LMT.

In 2022-23, Telangana produced 158.77 LMT of rice and stood in second place.

Of the total rice produced in Telangana during 2023-24, 93.44 LMT was produced in the kharif season and 75.3 LMT in the rabi season. During 2023-24, farmers cultivated rice in 46.85 lakh hectares in both seasons. The yield was calculated at 36.02 quintal per hectare.

Similarly, the state also performed well in cotton production. Telangana produced 50.8 lakh bales of cotton during 2023-24 and stood at No. 3 on the list. Statistics reveal that the production of cotton and area of cultivation in the state reduced significantly compared to 2022-23.

During 2022-23, Telangana produced 57.45 lakh bales of cotton with 19.73 lakh hectares of cultivation while it was 50.8 lakh bales from 18.8 lakh hectares during 2023-24.

During 2023-24, the state produced 202.76 LMT of total food grains, against 193.75 LMT during 2022-23, taking it to the No. 6 spot.

This article has been republished from The New Indian Express.