Telangana farmers shift to horticulture crops in Kharif

Farmers in Telangana shifted their crop preferences during Kharif 2026, with the area under horticultural crops, particularly flowers, red chilli and other spices, registering significant increases. The shift comes amid concerns over the impact of El Niño on the southwest monsoon, deficient rainfall and irrigation stress.

The area under flower cultivation recorded the highest increase at 198%, followed by other spices at 192% and red chilli at 80%. The area under vegetable cultivation increased by 66%, while turmeric registered a 21% rise. In contrast, the area under fruit cultivation grew by just 1%.