Land holding size shrinking in Telangana State

Land holding is a significant input for agriculture. The average land holding in Telangana in 2010-11 was 1.12 hectares (2.8 acres) against the all India average of 1.16 hectares, as per the Agriculture Statistics of Telangana 2015-16. Increase in population has put pressure on land, leading to fragmentation of holdings.

The share of small and marginal land holdings constitute about 86 per cent of total land in the State, while their share in total area was only 55 per cent in 2010-11. About 14 per cent of total land holdings in the state were medium, ranging between 2 to 10 hectares, where as their share in total area was 40.5 per cent.

More than 60 per cent of holdings were marginal in Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Medak, Khammam and Warangal districts, while the average land holding size was less than one hectare in Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Medak districts, which shows skewed land distribution in the State.

The data reveals that the land holding pattern in Telangana was more even distributed compared with national scenario. The average size of land holding declined from 1.3 hectares in 2005-06 to 1.12 hectares in 2010-11, which shows a decline of 14.49 per cent, observed in all categories of land holdings except marginal and small groups. Average size land holding is highest in Adilabad with 1.4 hectares and lowest in Nizambad district with 0.92 hectares.

The report also highlighted that the cropping pattern from 1980s shifted to non-food crops in Telangana. Research studies on State’s cropping pattern revealed that more than one-third area was under food crops comprising cereals, coarse cereals and pulses during 1980s.

The report also states that Telangana had a difficult year in 2015-16 for agriculture, due to deficient in rainfall for consecutive second year, resulting severe drought situation in the State. Agriculture and allied sectors contributed 14% to GSVA at current prices in 2015-16, which declined from 16.1 in 2011-12.

During 2015-16, agriculture sector is likely to register a negative growth of (-)1.1%, due to adverse seasonal conditions. During 2015-16, the gross area sown in the State is 48.93 lakh hectares, as against 53.15 lakh hectares in 2014-15, registering a decrease of 7.94%. Out of 48.93 lakh hectares, 26.18 lakh hectares or 53.49% was under food crops.

Rice area decreased by 3.69 lakh hectares, from 14.15 lakh hectares in 2014-15 to 10.46 lakh hectares in 2015-16. Even, maize showed decline in area as 5.73 lakh hectares from 6.92 lakh hectares in 2014-15. As rice and maize are the predominant food grains of Telangana, together accounting for 74.26% of total area under food grain crops, it is a cause for concern to the farmers.

The silver lining is that pulses area is higher by 0.64 lakh hectares at 4.72 lakh hectares in 2015-16. Cotton recorded an increase of 0.80 lakh hectares to 17.73 lakh hectares over the previous year. But, the total food grain production is decreased to 51.45 lakh hectares in 2015-16, against 72.18 lakh hectares in 2014-15, showing a decrease of 28.72%. The decrease is being attributed to drought conditions, deficient in rainfall and inadequate water in irrigation sources.

Rice, oil seeds, maize, pulses and sugarcane productions decreased by 1.43 lakh tones, 14.98 lakh tones, 4.57 lakh tones, 0.15 lakh tones and 9.83 lakh tones respectively in 2015-16. However, the cotton production is estimated at 37.33 lakh bales (170kg per bale), registered an increase of 1.50 lakh bales over 2014-15.

Among districts, Mahbubnagar with 9.03 lakh hectares of land accounts for largest gross cropped area (GCA), followed by Nalgonda and Adilabad with 6.69 lakh and 6.28 lakh hectares respectively. In total GCA, cereals, millets and pulses occupy more than 50 per cent in Medak, Rangareddy, Nizamabad and Karimnagar districts.

The data also reveals that Nalgonda (32%) and Karimnagar (33%) stand at the tops in terms of area and production of rice in the State. Cotton is a major food crop in Nalgonda, Adilabad, Mahbubnagar, Warangal, Karimnagar and Khammam districts. Overall, the agriculture is expected to boom in the current fiscal with good record production of Kharif.

By Gudipati Rajendera Kumar