Sangareddy: Even as farmers across the State are looking for various alternative crops to paddy, a young farmer from Sangareddy district has taken up wheat cultivation for Yasangi season in his two acres of agriculture field under Singur ayacut.
P Raghavendar, a farmer from Ganojipet village in Choutakur mandal cultivated paddy in eight acres of land during Vanakalam because they had abundant water besides the crop assistance from Rythu Bandhu. When the union government decided not to procure paddy of Yasangi crop, the State government advised farmers cultivate alternative crops. Following these developments, the 35-year-old Raghavendar took up wheat cultivation at his farm besides cultivating cowpea beans, black gram and vegetables instead of paddy.
Speaking to Telangana Today, Raghavendar said his father and grandfather used to cultivate wheat in a small extent of land to meet their domestic needs when he was a child, but he stopped cultivating it. He, however, decided to switch to wheat cultivation again after three decades because it has a good demand in the market. Though a considerable percentage of Telangana’s population consume wheat in various forms, he said not many farmers were cultivating wheat that led to import of wheat from other States.
Hyderabad Newsclick here for more Hyderabad NewsRaghavendar believes that the State government must consider encouraging farmers to cultivate wheat which consumes relatively less water to meet at least the demand for wheat in the State besides meeting the crop diversity needs.
Meanwhile, Venkaiah, a septuagenarian farmer from Ganjoipet, lashed out at the union government”s decision of not procuring paddy. “The BJP government is acting against the interests of farmers though Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has introduced schemes like Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima, besides providing irrigation water.
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