Telangana Vegetable Cultivation Drops to 0.47 Lakh Hectares in 2023-24

Vegetable cultivation across Telangana has witnessed a steep decline over the past decade, leaving the state with the smallest vegetable farming footprint among the country's major states, according to official data reported in Hyderabad. In 2023-24, only 0.47 lakh hectares were dedicated to vegetable cultivation in Telangana, falling significantly below the national average of 11.37 lakh hectares.

The decline comes even as Telangana has emerged as a major paddy-producing state. Over the last decade, the state's total area under vegetable crops has shrunk dramatically, falling from 1.80 lakh hectares in 2014-15 to just 0.47 lakh hectares in 2023-24.

This downward trend in Telangana stands in sharp contrast to the agricultural patterns observed across several other major states, where vegetable acreage has expanded steadily during the same time frame.

In western and central India, Maharashtra increased its area under vegetable cultivation from 5.95 lakh hectares to 9.18 lakh hectares. During the same period, Madhya Pradesh more than doubled its vegetable farming coverage, rising from 6.72 lakh hectares to 12.75 lakh hectares.

Northern and eastern states also recorded substantial expansions between 2014-15 and 2023-24. Uttar Pradesh expanded its vegetable cultivation footprint from 11.63 lakh hectares to 14.28 lakh hectares, while West Bengal increased its vegetable area from 13.87 lakh hectares to 15.82 lakh hectares. In southern India, Tamil Nadu also registered steady growth, with its vegetable acreage rising from 2.85 lakh hectares to 3.63 lakh hectares.