Cotton sowing area likely to decrease at national level in the current season
20-Jun-2024 04:37 PM
New Delhi. It is believed that this time cotton production area may decrease due to at least three reasons. Firstly, the enthusiasm and attraction of farmers towards cotton production has decreased considerably due to severe damage to the crop due to the deadly outbreak of insects and diseases in the northern states.
A softening environment is being observed in the global market price of cotton and in the domestic sector also its price has come down considerably from its peak level. In some parts of top producing states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh,
farmers may give priority to sowing of soybean, pigeon pea and maize etc. instead of cotton cultivation. Although the central government has increased the minimum support price of cotton by 7.6 percent to Rs. 7121 per quintal, but it is doubtful that this will increase the interest of farmers.
There is a possibility of some decrease in the area in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh of southern India, whereas the area may increase somewhat in Telangana.
According to the Cotton Association of India, last year the cotton production area at the national level reached 124.69 lakh hectares,
whereas during the current year it is likely to decline. The sowing process in northern India has almost ended and a huge decline in its area has been recorded. Farmers in Punjab-Haryana are troubled due to insects and diseases while the cost expenditure is also increasing.
There is a possibility of a sharp decline of 40 to 60 percent in the cotton sowing area in Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab.
In the most prominent producing state- Gujarat, there is a possibility of a 10-15 percent decline in the cotton sowing area this year. In the parts of the state where it is raining or it has rained,
farmers are emphasizing on the cultivation of other crops including groundnut instead of cotton. Maharashtra has the highest area of cotton in the country,
but the situation there is also no different from Gujarat. In this state also, the area of cotton is estimated to decrease by 10-15 percent. This time in Maharashtra, Tuvar, Soybean and Maize may get preference over cotton.