India's cotton sowing area up 6.72% to 121 L ha, next 2 weeks crucial

According to a report of Union Ministry of Agriculture, cotton sowing in the country was completed on 121.130 lakh ha of area till August 5, which was 6.72 per cent higher than the sowing of 113.505 lakh ha during same period of last season.

In north India, sowing area increased by 7.99 per cent in Rajasthan to 6.471 lakh ha against 5.992 lakh ha of last season. But the area decreased 2.40 per cent in Punjab (2.48 lakh ha) and 5.38 per cent in Haryana (6.510 lakh ha).

In central zone, the area where cotton is sown increased by 12.69 per cent in Gujarat (25.044 lakh ha) and 7.68 per cent in Maharashtra (41.716 lakh ha). But the area decreased by 0.17 per cent in Madhya Pradesh to 5.99 lakh ha.

In south zone, Telangana noted steep fall of 8.90 per cent to 18.383 lakh ha from 20.178 lakh ha in same period of last season. However, the area jumped 31.18 per cent in Andhra Pradesh (4.670 lakh ha), 45.92 per cent in Karnataka (7.395 lakh ha) and 86.96 per cent in Tamil Nadu (0.129 lakh ha). Cotton acreage increased 10.69 per cent in Odisha to 2.082 lakh ha.

Industry sources said that cotton crop is progressing well in all the regions. There is no report of any adversary about the crop. However, the next 15 days are considered very crucial as excessive rains in some areas may create some problems like disease and pest attacks. A cotton trader from Punjab Bhagwan Bansal told Fibre2Fashion, “There is no problem in the crop in any region of the country, but further rains may disturb the progress of cotton if monsoon remains active. Therefore, next two weeks are very crucial.”

Another trader said that delayed rains may affect progress of the crop. Therefore, crop arrival schedule may be disrupted. Any delay in new cotton arrival may further fuel prices which are already gaining amid tight supply.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)