Phulender Thakur, originally from Bihar, now leads a group of agricultural workers on a grape farm in Telangana’s Medchal Malkajgiri district. Despite grape farming shrinking in the area, Thakur and his brothers keep the work going. Many young men from Bihar now call him for job references to start similar work in Telangana. Telangana is India’s 11th largest state, with over half its land under farming. But local youth show less interest in agriculture, pushing farmers to hire migrant workers from Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and other states. These workers live on the farms, get food and shelter, and earn ₹9,000 to ₹11,000 monthly. Some are paid per task, like ₹16-25 per sack of paddy or ₹10,000 per acre for berry picking. Local farmers say the rising farmland area, due to projects like Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation, has increased demand for farm labour. However, factors such as mechanization, urbanization, and monocropping reduce local workdays and interest. Ravi Kanneganti from Rythu Swarajya Vedika explains that migrant workers’ willingness to work for lower wages changes dynamics. He suggests diversifying crops and offering support to ensure steady work for locals. Some migrant teams have gained specialized skills in trellis setting and pruning. Chinna, aged 28, now leads a team that travels across Telangana and neighboring states for fruit tree care. Digital platforms help such teams find work easily. Despite their importance, migrant labourers often lack social security. B. Kondal Reddy from Rythu Swarajya Vedika highlights that if a worker dies on the job, fellow workers raise money to send the body home. Telangana’s agriculture relies heavily on these migrant workers while local youth seek other jobs or own small farms focused on vegetables like Y. Balaiah who prefers self-harvesting to save costs. As farming evolves, migrant labour remains vital but faces challenges in social support and fair wages.