El Nino crisis: Telangana farmers demand ₹30,000 per acre compensation

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Farmers demand white paper on water availability, crop insurance

By KV Kurmanath

Updated - October 23, 2026 at 06:39 PM. | Hyderabad

Even as the State government has asked farmers not to plant paddy in the upcoming rabi season, farmers’ associations in Telangana have demanded that the government release a white paper on the availability of water in the State and provide a financial assistance for crop losses.

Asking the government to roll out drought-relief measures immediately, the associations want it to supply power without disruptions to save crops that have not yet dried up.

“The government should announce a compensation of ₹30,000 per acre for paddy, ₹50,000 for cotton and chilli, and ₹20,000 for vegetables and other crops that were hit due to the hostile weather conditions,” they said in a memorandum.

“Fear and anxiety over the drought conditions are spreading widely among farmers and the common people. As crops dry up and fail to yield, despair, dejection, and helplessness have gripped the farming community,” they said.

Leaders of Telangana Rythu Sangham, Telangana State Rythu Sangham, Rythu Swarajya Vedika, and Telangana Rythanga Samithi met Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao and submitted the memorandum after the State government’s advisory to farmers ahead of the summer season.

They asked the government to conduct an impact study to understand the extent of damage caused by El Nino and take up relief measures to mitigate the situation.

“We request that a survey be conducted to assess the full extent of crop damage in these mandals, and that they be declared drought mandals. Karnataka has already declared drought in 100 taluks, and Maharashtra in 265 taluks,” they said.

“If agricultural workers, tenant farmers and farmers cannot find work, their livelihoods will be in question. The drought is severe enough to warrant declaring a crop holiday in the rabi season. This calls for providing financial assistance to farmers, including tenant farmers,” they said.

G V Ramanjaneyulu, Chief Executive Officer of Centre for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA), wanted the government to provide inputs for alternative crops to farmers. “The government asked the farmers to go for alternative crops such as pulses. It should build enough seed stocks and make them available to farmers,” he said.

Stating that the groundwater levels in the State were declining steeply, he wanted the government to prepare a long-term strategy to protect farmers’ interests.

Ravi Kanneganti of Rythu Swarajya Vedika said that the State received 17 per cent less rainfall than the average rainfall of 740 mm. “Nearly half of the 33 districts in the State received less rainfall in the kharif,” he said.

He asked the State government to immediately conduct a survey of the drought situation and notify the mandals that are found to be drought hit. “It should send the report to the Union government, seeking immediate relief,” he said.

Demanding the government to revive the crop insurance scheme, he asked for immediate release of financial relief to the farmers whose crops were damaged due to the drought. “They should get at least ₹20,000 an acre,” he said. He also wanted the government to procure pulses, oilseeds and millets at the minimum support prices. 

Published on October 23, 2026

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