Determinants, profitability, and constraints of Crop diversification in Telangana

Crop diversification is vital for alleviating soil pressure, enhancing sustainable production, and mitigating marketing challenges. This study aims to identify the drivers and profitability of crop diversification in Northern Telangana Zone (NTZ), influenced by the Telangana government’s policy on cultivating alternate crops instead of paddy in the 2021 Rabi season. Monocropping degrades soil health; hence, the study was conducted to determine the most profitable crop to cultivate after paddy.A random sampling technique was used to collect data from 10 adopters (farmers who cultivated alternate crops) and 10 non-adopters (farmers who continued paddy) from each district of NTZ (a total of ten districts). Hence the total sample for the study is 200. The study employed cost concepts, logit regression, and Garrett ranking techniques for analysis. The findings revealed that cultivating maize in paddy fallows yielded comparable net returns (Rs. 47,544 per ha) to paddy cultivation in the Rabi season (Rs. 48,641 per ha). Logit regression analysis identified education, farming experience, landholding size, and contact with Agricultural Department officials as significant positive factors influencing crop diversification adoption. Among alternate crops, constraints such as high weed incidence in sesame (Garrett score: 63.65), paddy stubble regeneration in maize (64.95), insufficient and expensive seed supply in sunflower (70.71), post-harvest losses due to hailstorms in groundnut (61.75), and germination problems in pulses (64.88) were opined by the sample farmers. Effective strategies, including subsidized inputs, training programs on alternate crop cultivation, and improved storage and marketing facilities, are recommended to enhance crop diversification in the region.