NEW DELHI (Commoditiescontrol) – Cotton farming is almost complete in Punjab this season. Persons closely tracking cotton cultivation in the country believe that area under cotton will decline in this year. According to them, farmers have shifted from cotton to pulses as they had to suffer heavy losses in cotton cultivation last year due to whitefly attack and at same time fake cotton seed also caused losses. Also, higher prices of pulses encouraged them to grow tur and moong instead of cotton.
Commoditiescontrol spoke to traders, government officials, agri scientists and farmers and inquired of the ground reality of cotton farming in the state.
Let’s have a look on this report:
Area under cotton in Punjab has declined from last year. As per the figures of Punjab agriculture department, cotton plantation has completed in three lakh hectares in the state as on May 31 while the acreage in the corresponding year ago period was four lakh hectares.
Indian Cotton Association Limited President, Rakesh Rathi said, cotton acreage in Punjab may shrink nearly 15-20 percent in the current season as compared to last year. Crop was ruined last year due to white fly attacks. Even then, cotton growers couldn’t get reasonable prices of their produce which discouraged them, that is the reason, they have shifted to other crops like paddy and pulses, Rathi pointed out. According to him, farmers at least get a fixed prices of paddy, hence they have decided to grow paddy.
Apart from this, repairing work of canals completed just beginning of cotton sowing this year in Punjab which raised the concerns of irrigation among the farmers who made up their mind to shift. In fact, this work should be completed earlier during winter, he added.
Weather is favourble for cotton crop and there is no matter to worry for white flay attack at present, he further added.
According to Rathi, cotton prices have shot up considerably in recent past but demand may fall at higher level. However, ending stocks are low and demand from spinning mills is consistently up, therefore, cotton prices may extend firm trend till Nov 15, he guessed.
Dr. Sheodhar Mishra, Principal Scientist, Indian Agriculture Research Institute, Delhi, said farmers have grown cotton in irrigated land in Punjab and weather condition is also favourable for the crop.
Temperature was high few days ago but it has come down now and scattered rain received at some places in the state recently has been beneficial for the crop. As far as whitefly outbreak is concern, it appears usually every year. Again it can raise concerns with increasing temperature, he added. Better than normal monsoon forecast by IMD would be good for cotton crop, said Mishra,
Sunil Padiwal, MD, Shiv Narayan Padiwal&Sons, Abohar and a renowned seed trader in Punjab, informed that nearly 98 percent of cotton seed is done but seed sale is still 15-20 percent down as compared to last year. As per his estimation, cotton acreage is nearly 30 percent down from last year’s figure.
A large chunk of cotton crop was spoiled in white fly outbreak last year which led the farmers to explore other crop farming and they have decided to expand the area of paddy, tur, moong and maize.
According to him, white fly attack on cotton is seen every year and the government has taken preventive measures, hence, one should not worry for that. Real crop size will be clear by the next month.
The area where low acreage of cotton is reported in Punjab, ironically, adjoining area in Rajasthan like Sri Ganaganagar and Hanumangarh has better cotton crop as farmers have opted to grow cotton instead of guar which didn’t remain beneficial for them. Rajasthan has 15 percent higher cotton area this year while guar acreage has fallen in the same proportionate, said Sunil.
Gaurishankar, a farmer from Dhingawali village of Abohar, said, he has cultivated cotton in five acres land (BT in three acres and desi cotton in two acres) this year against nine acres (BT in seven acres and desi cotton in two acres) which was ruined in whitefly outbreak. He has decided to use rest of the land for paddy farming, same is case with other farmers of the village, said Gaurishankar.
Tejindra Singh, a farmer from Jassi village of Bathinda has grown cotton in 15 acres, as much land as he had last year. According to him, crop was damaged last year later but it is seen this year in the beginning itself after the sowing due to high temperature. Sweltering heat has caused losses to the crop in some area out of 15 acres, however, normal weather condition developed later has given some relief, he added.
“I have taken the challenge to face losses in cotton cultivation but other farmers don’t want to suffer so they have opted to grow paddy and tur instead of cotton,” said Tejindra.
One of the farmers of his village has spoiled planted cotton crop to grow paddy as high temperature was a couple of days ago, he informed.
(By Commoditiescontrol Bureau; +91-22-40015533)
|