Other districts of the state, agriculture is the main occupation of the people in the district. The geographical area of the district is 4004035 Acres. And the land use under different types is : forest (42.8%)
Land put to non-Agri uses (3.7%) and Net area sown 35.4%.

The Net area sown in the district is 35.4% of the total geographical area while for the state the relative percentage is 40.2. The percentage of the area sown more than once to the net area sown in the district is 23% and it is far below the relative percentage of state viz. 15.7% which speaks of Lack of cropping pattern existing in the district. The predominent Crop grown in the district is Jowar which accounts for 31.8% of the total cropped area. Paddy account for 10.8% pulses and each crops, and non food crops for 34.7% of the total croped area.

CROPS YIELDING

The southern part of the district consisting of Nirmal, Luxettipet, Khanapur and surrounding mandals is fairly developed agriculturally, owing to the availability of irrigation facilities there. The total cropped area of the district is 5.93 lakh hectares which constitute 37% of the total geographical area. The principal crops of the district are Jowar, paddy, Cotton, Wheat, Maize, Chillies, Sugarcane and Soya.

CROPPING PATTERN

Cotton occupies an important place in the agriculture sector of this district. Adilabad has got 27% area under cotton in all the Telengana districts put together and 16% of the area under cotton in the entire state. However the yields are not in accordance with the above ratios, which accounts to only 11.76% cotton production of Telengana districts and only about 5% of the states' total cotton production. The Regional Agricultural Research Station situated at Adilabad is conducting research on cotton in modern cultivation and pest management techniques to advise the farmers for better yields achievement.


HORTICULTURE

The area at present under the plantations and horticulture crops is only about 3.5% of the net area cultivated in the district. Horticulture produce assumes importance for it provides, supplementary income including foreign exchange and employment. The cultivable wastes and fallow lands can be put to use by plantation on the contours and bunds of the farmlands. With the above average rainfall, the district and minor irrigation facilities in general is suitable for horticulture comprising of fruits, vegetables and flowers. The medical and aromatic plant cultivation is another untapped area in the district, which has good potential.

A study based on the present land use pattern and the hardy nature of Horticulture crops which can be grown even on dry lands and wastelands an area of 41,565 hectares is identified that can be put to use for this activity. Thus an additional area of 5,50 hectares can be brought in short term under this crops, in addition to the present 36000 hectares of this activity. The Department of Horticulture in association with the ITDA, Utnoor and the SC Corporation, Adilabad through programme for promotion of horticulture schemes in the district. Backward linkage likes nurseries/farms to meet the seedling requirement forward linkage like processing and preservation plants, for value addition are the need of the hour to augment the development of this sector.

The area of medicinal and aromatic plantations is the most suited and the least tapped source of the district Nux-vomica an important medicinal plant forms a substantial forest source in the district. The potential and advantages of medicinal aromatic plants cultivation should be made know to the locals to promote this fast catching activity all over. Apie culture and floriculture are the other areas not operational to their full in this climatically congenial nature of the district for these activities. The locals should be encouraged to take advantage of these natural vistas.

Keeping in mind the suitability of agro-climatic conditions for rearing of livestock and poultry, the Government by various schemes through several developmental agencies, like ITDA and DRDA etc., identified the activities like dairy, poultry, sheep and goat rearing to be promoted to give a thrust to this sector, all over the district. The National Commission on agriculture recommended a veterinary centre with a veterinary graduate for every 5000 units by 2000 AD.

Based on the standards recommended by the NCA a gap of 79 veterinary centres is identified in addition to the existing 87 hospitals and dispensaries functioning in the district. Based on the population of 3,63,737 breedable cows and buffaloes an estimated Number of 145 artificial insemination center are required assuming coverage of 2500 breedable animals per center in a year. It is also mentioned that there is wide gap of forage demand and supply put at 17.8 Lakh MTs deficit as against a demand of 23.38 lakh MTs. In addition to bringing more fallow lands for forage production, the supply of concentrate feed should be taken up to augment this deficit.

SHEEP AND GOAT REARING

Adilabad district is mostly covered with hills and the availability of non-arable land is sizeable which is covered with field grasses. Sheep and goat rearing can be an important activity with existence of large tracts of forest, cultivable falloffs and uncultivable barren areas and other wastelands, congenial for development of this income generating activity.
The quinquential census figures show that there is a population of 5,57,734 sheep and 2,31,915 goat is existing in the district as on 2001. The profitable breeds like Nellore, Deccan breeds of sheep and Osmanbadi breed of goats shall be reared.
The per capital availability of meat is negligible compared to the standard per capita requirement of 30 grams/day including chicken broiler and port. The establishment of slaughter houses, clinical infrastructural facilities, farms to properly link up the DRDA schemes of IRDP to develop this activity into a substantial employment and income generating activity of the district.