Decline in cotton production this Kharif

This Kharif season will report considerable decline in the production of cotton as farmers are opting for other kharif crops like soybean, paddy and pulses. The decline is expected to be  more than 10 percent from 123 lakh acres to 110  lakh acres.

 Atul Ganatra, President Cotton Association of India said that the decline can be more than 15 percent. It is due to the reason of pink bollworm attack last year that has brought immense loss in production earlier. So, farmer’s are in doubt the same this year also. Other than this At the same time, soyabean prices have jumped to Rs 3,800 a quintal from Rs 2,800 in the past few months. 

Farmers are preferring soyabean as it is more remunerative — production cost is much lower than that of cotton. Farmers' returns have declined as cotton productivity and quality were hit by the attack of the pink bollworm pest in Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. 

However, Textile Commissioner Kavita Gupta said the fall in area under cotton may not be significant. "There may not be much decline in total production as the area under cotton in other states may compensate for any decline in area in pink bollworm affected states," said Gupta. 

Sangeeta Soi

Krishi Jagran/ New Delhi