Sluggish Start to Kharif Sowing in Telangana; Sharp Decline in Cotton and Soybean Acreage
Sowing operations for the 2026 Kharif season in Telangana are progressing at a much slower pace compared to the previous year. According to the latest data released by the State Agriculture Department (as of June 24, 2026), the total cropped area in the state stands at just 14.78 lakh acres (1,478,120 acres). This figure is roughly half of the 28.38 lakh acres (2,838,416 acres) sown during the same period last year. Overall, only 11.16 percent of the normal seasonal acreage has been covered so far.
Cotton Remains Dominant, Yet Acreage Sees Significant Drop
While cotton continues to dominate Kharif sowing in the state, the pace of planting lags significantly behind last year. Latest figures indicate that cotton has been sown across 12.60 lakh acres (1,260,315 acres) so far, whereas the figure stood at 22.14 lakh acres by this time last year. This represents a massive decline of approximately 9.5 lakh acres in sowing area.
Worrying Situation for Soybean and Oilseeds
The sharpest and most concerning decline has been observed in the sowing of oilseed crops, particularly soybean. This year, the soybean acreage has shrunk to just 24,666 acres, down from over 1.43 lakh acres (143,253 acres) during the same period last year. Consequently, the total oilseed acreage has also plummeted to a mere 25,429 acres, compared to 1.43 lakh acres last year.
Hopes Hing on Future Rainfall
The data clearly indicates that initial sowing activity in Telangana has been very sluggish. Agricultural experts believe that the primary reason for this could be a delay in the onset of monsoon rains or their uneven distribution. However, the Agriculture Department expects the pace of sowing to pick up and the situation to improve in the state's key agricultural regions as the monsoon gains momentum in the coming weeks.
