Telangana secures urea supply and limits paddy bonus to seven rice varieties

Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao announced that the Telangana government will distribute urea to farmers in phased allocations, with 22.67 lakh bags in retail outlets, 5.56 lakh with cooperatives, 5.96 lakh with Markfed and 3.56 lakh in state warehouses. A toll‑free booking service will help farmers without smartphones to obtain fertilizer, and measures are in place to prevent non‑farmers from purchasing urea.

The same minister also said the state will extend bonus payments only to seven superfine paddy varieties – BPT 5204, RNR 15048, HMT Sona, Jai Sriram, KNM‑1638, WGL 44 and JNM‑7715 – citing strong domestic and export demand. Seed companies have been directed to ensure sufficient seed supply, and the government is examining direct transfers of mechanisation subsidies to farmers’ bank accounts. The policy shift aims to boost farmer incomes and promote premium rice cultivation.