Hyderabad: Ganja growers in Andhra Pradesh, knowing that police are using satellite imagery to monitor cultivation, have adopted crop diversification to evade detection. This tactic, known as portfolio farming, which is traditionally used by farmers to mitigate risk, is now being employed to hide ganja cultivation among other crops.
By growing a mix of crops, including ganja, cultivators have made it harder for authorities to zero in on ganja-producing areas. As a result, the supply of ganja from Andhra Pradesh to Telangana has dropped. However, there has been no reduction in the amount of ganja coming from neighbouring states like Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
This issue was discussed at length during an inter-state coordination meeting on Friday, which involved officials from the Narcotics Control Bureau and police from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu.
“Previously, an acre could yield up to 4,000 ganja plants, but with mixed farming, the production has dropped to about 1,000 plants per acre. This strategy is aimed at confusing security agencies who use satellite imagery to track cultivation,” a source at the meeting explained.
During the meeting, the states exchanged lists of wanted individuals involved in violations of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. Telangana police provided a list of 230 suspects to Andhra Pradesh, 100 to Odisha, and 35 to Tamil Nadu.
They also shared intelligence about the routes and different roads traffickers use to transport ganja, with a particular focus on the widespread use of trains. “Of all the trains, the Konark Express is most frequently misused,” said a source.
In 2023 and 2024, Telangana seized 23 tonnes and 24 tonnes of ganja, respectively. However, officials expect a 40% drop in seizures this year, mainly due to a reduction in production in Andhra Pradesh. They anticipate a clearer picture in Aug and Sept, when the current season’s crop will be harvested.
“The reduction in production in Andhra Pradesh has led to fewer large seizures, like those of 350 kg or more,” the source revealed.
