Now Reading: Cotton acreage matches last year as southern states expand area
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Cotton acreage matches last year as southern states expand area
Cotton acreage matches last year as southern states expand area
Cotton acreage in the current kharif season stood at 108.45 lakh hectares as of August 21, nearly equal to 108.73 lakh hectares a year ago, according to government data. Gains in Telangana,…
Cotton acreage in the current kharif season stood at 108.45 lakh hectares as of August 21, nearly equal to 108.73 lakh hectares a year ago, according to government data. Gains in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh offset declines in Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
Telangana saw the sharpest rise at 7.28% to 19.5 lakh hectares, while Gujarat reported a 3.23% increase to 21.35 lakh hectares. Maharashtra, the largest cotton-growing state, saw a marginal dip to 38.22 lakh hectares from 38.37 lakh hectares. Rajasthan's acreage fell about 6% to 5.38 lakh hectares.
Atul S Ganatra, chairman of the Cotton Association of India's crop committee, said the crop condition is excellent but the next 30 days are crucial. He said another round of rain in the next 10-15 days is needed in Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh for good yields. The industry will wait until end-September to project final crop size.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Cotton is India's second-largest kharif cash crop after paddy, supporting an estimated 6 million cotton farmers directly. The area shift from Maharashtra to Telangana reflects the latter's better irrigation infrastructure and pest management under the government's Bt cotton framework. The Cotton Association of India projects the crop size only after September rains because the boll development stage in October determines actual yield per hectare. Any shortfall could widen India's import of extra-long staple cotton, which the textile ministry data shows has been rising since 2020. The next key data point is the weekly sowing update from the agriculture ministry until the season officially closes in October.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
