New Delhi (Commodities Control) - As per the latest kharif crop sowing data, cotton acreage has upped 4.13% for the entire nation. The sowing has reached its fag-end and it seems to that the cultivation could be just above last year’s sowing figure. This means that any further downward pressure on cotton prices due to excessive output is fading away.
Having said so, there have been interesting changes in cotton sowing pattern this year. Telangana is racing ahead in terms of cotton sowing as compared with the country’s leading cotton producer-Gujarat. Thus, making Telangana the second biggest cotton producing state, while Maharashtra’s cotton acreage has collapsed.
123 Lk Ha of Nationwide Cotton Acreage
As per Centre’s latest sowing data, cotton acreage in the country has touched 123.64 Lk Ha as against 118.73 Lk Ha for the corresponding period last year. Last year the final figure was quoted at 127.67 Lk Ha. Sowing for ongoing kharif may likely exceed last year’s figure. The latest sowing data has surpassed the five year average, marked at 122.27 Lk Ha.
Gujarat Acreage Drops 9%
Cotton acreage has declined 9% in Gujrat to 22.48 Lk Ha as compared with last year for the corresponding period. Meanwhile the five year average acreage for the corresponding period is around 26.32 Lk Ha. According to the Gujarat Agricultural Department, weak rains and dull market rates are the reasons that cotton farmers strayed away from cultivation of the fibre crop, while they preferred to plant more urad, moong, tur and oilseeds.
Telangana Cultivation Area Rises by 32%
Meanwhile cotton cultivation raced ahead by 32% in telangana, touching acreage of 22.77 Lk Ha as compared with last year. Telangana cultivated cotton in the total area of 18.59 lk Ha last year.
Telangana Sowing Aided by Normal Rains
Timely rains and new irrigation systems have been conducive to higher acreage in the state. Although it was reported that Herbicide Tolerant (HT) cotton seeds were being illegally distributed due to which farmers were encouraged to cultivate more.Sowing HT cotton protects the crop from weeds. It is believed that these seeds were used to plant 2-2.5 Lk Ha of land. Farmer organisations are opposing the usage of these illegally distributed seeds. Although, they have been used by many as well.
Changing Cultivation Trend in Cotton-Producing States
Cotton acreage has upped 9% in Haryana to 7.37 Lk Ha as compared with last year. Area under cultivation in Karnataka has risen by 7.8% to 4.80 Lk Ha, while in Madhya Pradesh the sowing area moved higher by 4.4% to 6.37 Lk Ha. In punjab, the cotton acreage rallied over 24% at 5.01 Lk Ha and in Rajasthan cotton has been cultivated in 6.74 Lk Ha, up 4.5%. However, cotton acreage dropped 3.36% in Maharashtra to 41.38 Lk Ha.
(Commodities Control Bureau)
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