Hyderabad: Tuber vegetable cultivation has dropped across the Telangana state despite ample scope for expansion, according to a study by the horticulture department. The lack of proper policy has created large gaps in production, leading to shortages of potato, colocasia, onion, turnip, beetroot, and carrot.
The department found the current tuber output far below public consumption needs. As a result, the state depends on imports for nearly 70% of its tuber demand. Large volumes are being sourced from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.
Experts blamed past government neglect of horticulture for the crisis. They argued that tuber vegetables, which store well, could strengthen food security if promoted systematically. They recommended encouraging farmers, identifying additional cultivable land, and extending technical support to close the supply gap.
Colocasia production is facing a 58% shortfall. Per capita daily consumption stands at two grams, with annual demand at 534 tonnes. But only around 225 tonnes are being produced on roughly 9–10 acres. Experts estimate the gap could be closed by expanding cultivation by 77 acres. Other tubers, including turnip, carrot, beetroot, and radish, are also in short supply, forcing continued imports.
Potato dependence is particularly acute, with 79% imported. Annual potato demand stands at 1.79 lakh tonnes, while local production is just 38,000 tonnes. Most supplies arrive in Hyderabad from Agra and are then distributed to other districts.
Currently, potatoes are grown on only 6,606 acres, covering barely 21% of Telangana’s needs. The shortfall amounts to 1.41 lakh tonnes annually. Experts advised boosting cultivation on an additional 17,676 acres, with incentives for farmers through polyhouse initiatives.
Onion, another major crop, faces a deficit of one lakh tonnes per year. Daily per capita onion use is about 36 grams, amounting to 4.40 lakh tonnes annually. At present, onions are cultivated on about 34,000 acres in places like Vikarabad, Tandur, Narayankhed, Kollapur, Alampur, and Nalgonda.
To bridge the shortage, onions worth ₹500 crore are being imported annually from Nashik in Maharashtra, Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh, and parts of Karnataka. Hyderabad alone needs 10,000 quintals of onions each day. Price fluctuations have discouraged farmers from planting onions, but the study suggested expanding cultivation by 14,000 acres to manage the shortage.