For a state that always takes pride in being called the “Rice Bowl of India”, this is surely disconcerting news. As per the 2011 census, there has been a significant fall in the number of cultivators in Andhra Pradesh during the last one decade.

The percentage of cultivators has declined from 22.52 per cent in 2001 to 16.47 per cent in 2011. The total population of the state is 8.45 crore as per the latest census.