Avoid water-intensive crops to avoid financial distress: Telangana MP urges farmers

Farmers would be among the first to suffer the effects of El Niño, says Bhongir Chamala MP Kiran Kumar Reddy | Photo credit: MOHD ARIF

Bhongir MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy urged farmers in Telangana to avoid water-intensive crops in view of the possibility of El Niño conditions, warning that insufficient water could cause financial hardship for farmers who opt for crops like paddy.

He said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has alerted people about the possible impact of El Niño and advised farmers to take precautionary measures. Weather phenomena were not an issue limited to Telangana as they could affect regions across the world, he said, criticizing the opposition for politicizing the issue.

Mr Reddy said farmers would be among the first to suffer the consequences of El Niño and appealed to them not to be misled by the opposition. Instead, they should consider the chief minister’s advice and choose crops that require less water, he said.

Farmers who grow paddy and other water-intensive crops could face financial problems if not enough water is available during the crop cycle, he warned.

Since natural disasters and climate phenomena were beyond the control of any government, the lawmaker said water shortages also affected electricity generation. The state has reached a position where it has supplied 20,000 MW of power, he said, stressing the need for careful management of available water resources.

Published – 16 Oct 2026 14:24 IST