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Country’s cotton planting plummets to lowest ebb in seven years

Pest attacks, late onset of monsoon and shift to pulses and oilseeds by farmers, has resulted in planting of cotton in the country likely to fall to its lowest ebb in seven years. According Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR) , Nagpur, cotton planting this season is unlikely to exceed 104-105 lakh hectares. As on date, cotton planting across the country is around 99 lakh hectares, according to data released by the agriculture ministry.

In 2008-09, cotton planting in the country had touched its lowest ebb at 103.9 lakh hectares and subsequently in the following years, the planting has varied between 111 lakh hectares to 128.9 lakh hectares. In 2014-15, cotton planting was the highest at 128.9 lakh hectares, KR Kranthi, Director, CICR, disclosed.

The cotton sowing window has closed for most states barring parts of northern Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The addition of a couple of lakh hectares is likely in these states, the CICR director pointed out.

Lower sowing has been reported from major cotton-growing states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh, where the crop bore the brunt of pest attacks last year.

The area in Gujarat so far is around 23.13 lakh hectares, 12.5 lakh hectares in Telangana, 38.58 lakh hectares in Maharashtra and 3.5 lakh hectares in Andhra Pradesh as per figures released on August 13. 

Sowing of cotton is nearly 12% lower than the area normally sown under the fibre crop by this time of the year. So far, an area of 90 lakh hectares has been planted under cotton compared to the normal area of 112 lakh hectares.

 
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