Farmers in Telangana’s Karimnagar district have begun harvesting paddy before the crop reaches full maturity as deficient rainfall, falling groundwater levels and interrupted power supply threaten standing crops, according to a report by Deccan Chronicle. Traders and rice millers are encouraging early sales by offering prices above government-supported rates for wet and fine varieties.
Farmers who sowed paddy at the beginning of the kharif season have started cutting their crops several days ahead of schedule because they cannot irrigate them consistently. The report said there has been no rain in the area for the past fortnight, while agricultural wells and borewells have recorded a sharp decline in water levels.
The crisis is also exposing the dependence of irrigation on reliable electricity, even where surface water is available. Pulugam Pochaiah, a farmer from Garsha Kurthy village in Gangadhara mandal, told Deccan Chronicle that he harvested his crop early because power interruptions prevented him from irrigating it regularly. A flood flow canal passing alongside his fields had adequate water, he said, but he could not draw it consistently because of the electricity disruptions.
Pochaiah managed to irrigate his crop for three days using a generator before harvesting it. The account illustrates how a breakdown in power supply can reduce the value of nearby irrigation infrastructure for farmers who depend on electric pumps to access water. It also adds fuel costs to cultivation at a stage when the crop needs continued irrigation to mature.
Another farmer, Thatipally Indrasena Reddy of Linga Pur village in Shankarapatnam mandal, sold part of his wet paddy to a trader from Jammikunta for Rs 3,200 per quintal, the report said. Wet paddy is generally harvested before the crop has fully dried, making the timing of procurement important for farmers facing the risk of crop damage in the fields.
Private buyers are also approaching farmers directly, particularly for fine varieties of paddy. The report attributed the higher demand to concerns over a possible foodgrain shortage during prolonged El Nino conditions. Demand for fine paddy has reportedly risen across the erstwhile Karimnagar district, with traders and millers from Telangana and other states entering the local market.
The government’s minimum support price for fine paddy is Rs 2,461 per quintal, supplemented by a state bonus of Rs 500, taking the total supported rate to Rs 2,961. Traders are offering between Rs 3,300 and Rs 3,500 per quintal depending on the variety, according to the report. While the higher prices offer an immediate incentive to sell, farmers harvesting early are doing so under pressure from water and power constraints rather than solely as a marketing decision.
The report said prices could rise further as traders and millers from Telangana and other states continue approaching local farmers. The next developments will depend on rainfall, irrigation access, electricity supply and the pace at which local buyers procure the remaining crop.
