Amaravati, January 27, 2026: Farmers across Andhra Pradesh are adapting to water shortages this rabi season by prioritising pulses over water-hungry paddy. Limited irrigation from canals and reservoirs has cut paddy acreage, while pulses short-duration and drought-tolerant have surged ahead.
Latest sowing data shows total cropped area at 17.05 lakh hectares, or 82% of normal, yet progress exceeds expectations at 111% of typical pace.
Pulses lead with 6.39 lakh hectares (97% of normal), led by Bengal gram (3.02 lakh hectares), blackgram (2.34 lakh hectares), and greengram (0.49 lakh hectares). Paddy trails at 5.79 lakh hectares (78% of normal), mostly in areas with reliable water.
