From ganja to legal crops in ASR district

Once synonymous with large-scale ganja cultivation, the forested hills of Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district are undergoing a quiet transformation. Farmers who once depended on the illegal crop have shifted to legal, high-value alternatives, following a sustained campaign by the State government and police to dismantle the narcotics economy.

District Superintendent of Police Amit Bardar said the administration had achieved zero ganja cultivation in 2025, marking a decisive break from the past. “There is no planting of ganja this year,” he said on Friday. Local estimates suggest the crop was previously grown across nearly 15,000 acres in the agency areas of the district.

According to the police, satellite heat map analysis found no signs of ganja cultivation anywhere in ASR, a finding later confirmed by drone surveillance on the ground. While local cultivation has been eliminated, authorities say their focus has shifted to intercepting ganja trafficked from neighboring Odisha, where production remains widespread and supply routes pass through Andhra Pradesh.

Police surveys have identified networks of outsiders who encouraged tribal farmers to cultivate the crop, as well as young local men who were used to transport the contraband to cities across India. Officials say community engagement has been central to the turnaround. Farmers and youth have been counselled on the long-term consequences of involvement in the ganja trade, including prolonged incarceration and economic ruin.

Alongside enforcement, the State government has promoted alternative livelihoods, encouraging the cultivation of crops such as avocado, coffee, rajma, litchi, rambutan, nutmeg, and medicinal plants. About 29,000 farmers have so far received seeds for these crops, which officials say offer more stable and sustainable incomes than the illicit trade they replace.