ADILABAD: With timely rains, many farmers are sowing cotton seeds. The area under its cultivation may increase while that of paddy may decrease this Kharif season in the erstwhile Adilabad in particular and the state in general.
Farmers were happy with the price they got in the open market last Kharif though the MSP was only Rs 6,025.
This year, the central government announced Rs 6,379 as MSP for cotton, meaning a Rs 354 hike over last year's MSP.
Some 160 farmers out of a total of 194 and 50 tenant farmers out of 54 are going to cultivate cotton or soya instead of paddy this season in Penchikalpad village in Kuntala mandal of Nirmal district. Only 5-7 per cent of the farmers are planting paddy in this village.
The farmers cultivating paddy with help from motor pumps are shifting to cotton this season due to uncertainty about procurement of their paddy by the state and central governments. This is based on the last years’ experience and also due to the good price offered for cotton in the market the last season.
A 25-30 per cent increase in the area for cotton cultivation this Kharif season is expected in Nirmal district, a paddy belt.
Private traders offered a good price of around Rs 8,000 per quintal since there was a huge demand for cotton in the international market. The cotton yield was low due to floods and bad weather conditions.
Cotton prices touched Rs 10,000 per quintal when farmers sold all their cotton to traders and nothing was left in their hands. Cotton traders got more profit than the farmers last Kharif.
Sangepu Borranna of Rythu Sawarajya Vedika of Adilabad said many farmers are showing interest in cultivation of cotton this Kharif. The area under cotton cultivation is likely to increase this time, he said, and added that the state government is also encouraging cotton cultivation for this Kharif.
He said the area under paddy cultivation is likely to come down as farmers had a bad experience and faced hardships during the last season as far as procurement was concerned.
Expectations are that cotton may be cultivated in 4.10 lakh acres this Kharif season, up from the 3.85 in the last Kharif in Adilabad district.
Cotton farmers feel the prevailing market conditions are favorable for the crop and that they may get a good price.
The state government encourages the cultivation of cotton crop in order to avoid a possible tussle between the state and central governments as far as procurement of paddy is concerned, like the last season.
The state government feels farmers will get a good price for cotton in open market due to high demand for this in the international market.
