Last reviewed 4 Nov 2026 · Facts as of 4 Nov 2026 · 2 min read
1. Climate
- Semi-arid tropical climate — hot summers, mild winters.
- Most rain comes from the south-west monsoon (June–September); the north and north-east (Adilabad, Bhadradri, Mulugu) get more rain than the south-west (Mahabubnagar, Narayanpet, Jogulamba Gadwal).
- Normal annual rainfall is a little under 1,000 mm, highly variable from year to year — droughts are common in the south.
- Summer temperatures cross 45 °C in places such as Ramagundam, Adilabad and Bhadrachalam.
2. Soils
| Soil | Where | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Red soils (chalka, dubba) | Most of the plateau — Mahabubnagar, Rangareddy, Nalgonda, Warangal | Millets, groundnut, pulses; need irrigation and manure |
| Black cotton soils (regur) | North-west — Adilabad, Nizamabad, Sangareddy, parts of Medak | Cotton, soybean, jowar, turmeric |
| Alluvial soils | Along the Godavari and Krishna | Paddy, sugarcane |
| Laterite soils | Small patches in the hills | Forest |
3. Major crops
| Crop | Key areas / facts |
|---|---|
| Paddy | Main food crop; grown in both kharif (vanakalam) and rabi (yasangi) seasons; Telangana became one of India's largest paddy producers after the new lift-irrigation projects |
| Cotton | Main commercial crop — Adilabad, Warangal, Nalgonda, Khammam; Telangana is among the top cotton-producing states |
| Maize | Karimnagar, Warangal, Siddipet |
| Red gram, green gram, Bengal gram | Pulses of the dry south and Vikarabad (Tandur red gram has a GI tag) |
| Turmeric | Nizamabad — a major turmeric market; the National Turmeric Board is headquartered at Nizamabad |
| Chillies | Khammam, Warangal (Enumamula market) |
| Soybean, groundnut, sugarcane | Soybean in the north-west; groundnut in the south |