Telangana vegetable acreage plummets amid rampant pesticide and fertilizer use
Telangana's vegetable fields are shrinking fast, due to multiple factors, including the rampant use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and urea.
Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao explained that this has made veggies less healthy and led to their rejection in other markets.
The numbers are pretty stark: the area for vegetable crops has dropped from over 300,000 acres to just 50,000 acres as farmers switch to more profitable options.
Telangana government pushes organic farming
Rao said this isn't a new problem: it's been going on for a decade due to the State Government not using Central Government schemes.
He pointed out that limited subsidies and not using central government schemes made things worse.
Now, Telangana is pushing for organic farming and wants more young people involved in agriculture.
The state is also rolling out central schemes with shared funding to boost crop quality and yields, while urging the Center to regulate fertilizer use for healthier produce.