Farmers in Telangana can look forward to a potentially stable or slightly better market season for key crops like paddy, cotton, and chilli, according to the Agriculture and Market Intelligence Centre of Prof Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University.
The Centre, backed by the Department of Agriculture Economics’ price forecast mechanism, predicts stable prices for most major crops compared to the previous Vanakalam marketing season (June-September). However, some crops, like cotton, might see a marginal increase.
This forecast is based on data collected from major agricultural and horticultural commodity markets over the past 22 years, along with market surveys of farmers and traders.
While the Centre’s forecast offers some hope, farmers are still waiting for the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare to finalise the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for mandated crops for the 2024-25 season. An announcement is expected next week.
Here’s a breakdown of the Centre’s price forecast for some key crops:
- Paddy: Common varieties are expected to fetch Rs. 2,203 to Rs. 2,350 per quintal in November-December, while Grade-A varieties could reach Rs. 2,290 to Rs. 2,680 per quintal.
- Cotton: The area under cotton cultivation is projected to increase significantly, and prices might range from Rs. 6,600 to Rs. 7,200 per quintal by the harvest season (November-February 2025). Last year, cotton prices remained below Rs. 7,000 per quintal for most of the season.
- Chilli: This major crop is expected to command prices between Rs. 14,500 to Rs. 16,500 per quintal during January-March 2025.
Professor R Vijaya Kumari of the University clarified that the Centre’s price forecast is a separate exercise from the MSP announcement. The forecast may deviate by 5-10%, with some cases potentially having a smaller deviation.
