Telangana Emerges As Leader In Natural Farming, Turmeric Production Prove Huge Success

HYDERABAD: Telangana has topped the nation with 5.53 lakh hectares under chemical-free practices, according to a recent report submitted in the Lok Sabha. The report also praised Telangana’s lead in natural farming. Over 4.52 lakh farmers have embraced this shift, the report said. The government data reveal 489 clusters in the state under the National Mission on Natural Farming, covering 24,736 hectares. In March 2026, kits reached 61,125 new farmers for kharif rollout. Central funds have remarkably increased from just Rs 17.96 lakh in 2024-25 to Rs 13.23 crore in 2025-26. The state was getting less funds due to poor certification. In natural farming, turmeric shone the brightest. The demos showed that natural yields dip just 9.78 per cent versus crop that had been treated with chemical methods, but organic produce earns farmers more. Bio-inputs like Jeevamritha slashed costs drastically. Natural farming yields 20-25 tonnes per hectare as against 22-28 tonnes by chemical farming, but the latter practice erodes soil health. Progressive farmer Ramulu from Nizamabad underlined the gains. “I cut chemical costs by thousands last season. My farm got a turmeric yield of 23 tonnes per hectare and sold at premium rates. My farm soil is now teeming with earthworms — it’s alive again after decades,” he said. Noted agronomist Prof Seeta Mahalaxmi called the change transformative. “Turmeric beats paddy’s 20 per cent yield drop. Brinjal loses just three per cent, fruits like mango hold steady. Curcumin produce jumps 5-10 per cent under natural farming,” she said. Telangana’s 979 Krishi Sakhis train thousands of farmers. Though the state wants to shift organic/natural practices across 4,000 villages by 2047, it may surpass the target much earlier, Prof. Mahalaxmi said. “The demand for natural products is growing 30 per cent yearly in premium markets in Hyderabad. The demand is speedily pushing natural farming.” Farmers were going for more spices and vegetables through natural fertiliser methods and the results would be visible in the next two to three years, Prof. Mahalaxmi said.



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