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NEW DELHI (Commoditiescontrol) – Area under cotton crop is likely to fall in Haryana, a key cotton grower in north India, this year while arhar area is expected to expand.
Commoditiescontrol spoke to government officials, agri scientists, traders and farmers to know the actual position of cotton farming in the state. Facts appeared during extensive inquiry show that farmers are more interest to grow arhar instead of cotton this year as they incurred heavy losses in cotton farming last year.
Let’s have a look on this report:
Haryana Cotton Sowing Lags; Acreage At 4.67 Lakh Hectares
Agriculture Department of Haryana’s latest sowing coverage report shows that cotton sowing is lagging behind in Haryana this year as compared to previous year’s acreage. As per report, farm land area under cotton crop was at 4.67 lakh hectares as of May 31, 2016 against 5.41 lakh hectares till June 1, 2015. The average cotton acreage of past few years in the state is at 6.05 lakh hectares while the state government has set a target of 6.20 lakh hectares for cotton farming in the ongoing season.
As on May 31, 2016, area under maize, jowar, kharif pulses, sugarcane and summer moon recorded at 6,000 hectares, 49,000 hectares, 15,000 hectares, 98,000 hectares and 12,000 hectares respectively while the state government has set target for paddy, bajra, kharif pulses, kharif oilseed, maize and sugarcane at 12.50 lakh hectares, 4.60 lakh hectares, 60,000 hectares, 10,000 hectares, 50,000 hectares and 1.05 lakh hectares respectively for ongoing kharif season.
S S Siwach, Research Director, Haryana Agriculture University said, cotton acreage is low this year as compared to last year. According to him the cotton growers had to suffer losses last year due to whitefly attacks and late delivery of canal water which discouraged them to grow cotton this year. Farmers are taking more interest to grow tur and sugarcane this year, he added. Siwach believes weather is favourable for cotton crop presently. However, he said actual position of the crop would be assessed in next 15 days.
Dr. Babulal, Deputy Director, Agriculture Department, Sirsa, said, cotton cultivation is done by 75 percent and rainfall received recently has benefited the crop. According to him, case of whitefly attack has appeared on plants of vegetables in some areas but cotton crop is not affected much as of now. He also considered that area under cotton is lagging from last year. According to him, area under arhar has gained in Sirsa district this year while guar acreage is expanding in nearby area. The government is encouraging the farmers to grow maize instead of paddy. Weather is favourable for the crop, he added.
Dharmpal Mittal, Chief, Banarasi Das Cotton Mill, Sirsa estimated as much cotton output this year as it was last year. Weather is fit for cotton crop and yield may increase, hence, production is likely to remain at the same level as it remained previous year. He anticipated cotton prices to remain firm till arrivals of fresh crop.
Banarasi Das, a farmer from Nidhani village of Zind district has grown cotton in 1.5 acres while he had 3.5 acres of cotton area last year. According to Banarasi Das, he had to suffer heavy losses last year as his crop was spoiled in pest related disease and white fly attacks. That is the reason, he has grown maize and millets instead of cotton in rest of the land. He has also planned to grow paddy in some area.
Mahavir, a farmer, Dhangan village of Fatehabad district, had cultivated four acres of cotton last year but he has reduced cotton acreage to 1.5 acres this year as he had to incur great losses as yield was low last year due to whitefly attacks. Therefore, he is thinking to increase paddy and arhar area. According to him, farmers in nearby area have also shifted to arhar from cotton.
Omprakash, a farmer, from Nidana village of Maham tehsil in Rotak district, has left cotton farming this year while he had grown cotton in 14 acres last year. Omprakash has decided to to grow millet in 10 acres and jowar in one acre. He suffered heavy losses last year in cotton farming due to white fly attacks.
(By Commoditiescontrol Bureau; +91-22-40015533)
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