HYDERABAD: Ahead of the 2026-27 kharif season, the Civil Supplies department has rolled out a series of measures aimed at protecting farmers’ produce and ensuring rapid lifting of an estimated 65 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy.
The department has activated its state-wide procurement protocols, anticipating an estimated 65 LMT of paddy arrivals. To improve transparency in transit and prevent diversion of stocks, the department is using a functional Vehicle Location Tracking System (VLTS) based on GPS. The three-pronged approach focuses on plugging supply chain leakages, ensuring rapid lifting and protecting farmers from logistical delays.
As part of district-wise one-on-one review meetings, Civil Supplies Commissioner M Stephen Raveendra reviewed the ground-level storage preparedness of individual districts.
The primary focus of the reviews was the expansion and clearance of storage facilities across the state. Under the ‘SHT’ (Storage, Hamali and Transport) strategy, District Civil Supply Officers (DCSOs) and District Managers (DMs) are fast-tracking the identification of storage spaces, including regular godowns, defunct rice mills, industrial sheds, Agricultural Market Committee (AMC) facilities and large function halls.
The department is mobilising storage capacity to accommodate the targeted 65 LMT of paddy and avoid last-minute shortages.
To strengthen operational oversight, the Commissioner has mandated technological interventions in the transportation sector. Every vehicle transporting procured paddy must be equipped with a functional GPS-based VLTS. The system is aimed at ensuring transparency in transit and preventing diversion of stocks.
A new mobile application is also being deployed to strengthen ground-level accountability. Supervisory officers at the divisional and district levels have been instructed to conduct frequent random surprise inspections at mills using the digital tool.
The Commissioner directed that any Paddy Procurement Centre (PPC) in-charge found generating fake procurement sheets would face severe legal action.
To protect paddy from unseasonal rains, all PPCs are being modernised before October. The centres are being equipped with calibrated moisture meters, industrial cleaners and dryers to maintain grain quality and protect farmers’ produce at every stage of the supply chain.
STATE’S UREA USE EXCEEDS NATIONAL AVG, FLAGS MINISTER
Agriculture Minister Thummala Nageswara Rao has directed officials to curb excessive urea use in Telangana, which he said was higher than the national average, and promote micro-nutrients, green manure and natural farming. Addressing officials at the Secretariat, Nageswara Rao said average urea use in Telangana was 217 kg per hectare against the national average of 160 kg.
The NPK fertiliser usage ratio in the state was 14.9:5.7:1, compared with the ideal ratio of 4:2:1, he said. He called for corrective measures to reduce chemical fertiliser use and address mono-cropping and imbalanced fertiliser application in consultation with agricultural universities. A time-bound programme should be prepared to meet field-level targets, with officers made accountable, he said.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the regulation of fertilisers and insecticides, Nageswara Rao told officials to take stringent action against misbranded and substandard products. He called for a digital system to track the process from sample collection to filing of cases in court.
