Price-sensitive farmers replacing pulses with cotton

Pulses output was estimated at record 22.4 mt in the 2016-17 crop year ending on June

Early onset of the monsoon and its progress has led to an increase in the area sown till Friday of this kharif season, year-on-year. Alongside, the depressed price of pulses have led more farmers to replace it with cotton in some parts.

Farmers have brought almost 10% more area under cultivation over the corresponding period of the previous kharif season, despite the current unrest in the community.

The Southwest monsoon advanced further into the central portion of Maharashtra, Vidarbha, more parts of Chhattisgarh, most of Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar this week, according to India Meteorological Department.