Dynamics of Cropping Pattern in Karimnagar District of Telangana – A Markov Chain Approach

The assessment of shift in cropping pattern in several regions is crucial for a much better insight into the agricultural development method. The present study was undertaken to examine the dynamics of cropping pattern in Karimnagar district of Telangana. The data was collected from Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Government of Telangana from 1966-67 to 2016-17 and it was analysed with the help of Markov chain by decade wise and for last decade, analysed for five periods. The major findings from the study revealed that any set of crops did not retain its area in Karimnagar, but the acreage of the crops was continuously shifting from one set of crops to another set throughout the period. The cereals area was observed to be more stable while the loss of area from cereals towards commercial crops like cotton and turmeric etc. Indicated that the cropping pattern of the region moves towards diversification in northern Telangana zone. There is a larger scope for deciding within the choice of crops to place the agriculture on the pedestal of property growth that has to be thought-about in analysis and extension programmes.