Government Procurement of 6.5 Million Tonnes of Paddy Projected in Telangana

Hyderabad: Government procurement of 6.5 million tonnes (65 lakh tonnes) of paddy is projected for Telangana during the 2026-27 Kharif marketing season, and systematic preparations are underway to ensure a smooth and seamless procurement process. A major contributor of rice to the central pool, Telangana is the leading paddy-producing state in South India.

Government procurement of paddy in Telangana is set to begin in the first week of October. To facilitate this, the State Civil Supplies Department will adopt a comprehensive and integrated strategy covering storage, handling (labor), and transportation (SHT). This three-tiered strategy is being designed to prevent leakages in the paddy supply chain, enable rapid lifting of stocks from procurement centers, and alleviate the difficulties farmers face due to transportation bottlenecks.

Officials from the Civil Supplies Department are cataloging available storage sites across Telangana, including non-operational rice mills, industrial sheds, existing storage facilities owned by Agricultural Market Committees, and large event venues.

Deficient Southwest Monsoon rainfall in Telangana this year has led to a significant reduction in the area under Kharif paddy cultivation and is hindering crop progress. Consequently, paddy and rice production is likely to decline. Furthermore, the impact of El Niño casts doubt on future rainfall prospects, and with water levels in dams and reservoirs remaining low, the area under cultivation and total production of paddy could also decrease during the Rabi season.