| The kharif crop production in Gujarat has exceeded the target set this year. According to the official figures, the state has produced 82.04 lakh tonnes against the target of 78.13 lakh tonnes.
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| In the case of cotton, the production (at 110 lakh bales) has gone beyond the target (85.94 lakh bales) by a whopping 24.06 lakh bales (1 bales = 172 kg). The state government attributes this improved performance to good rainfall and better crop management.
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| The total foodgrain output during the season stood at 31.14 lakh tonnes against the target of 29.66 lakh tonnes. Cereals accounted for 26.68 lakh tonnes against the target of 25.17 lakh tonnes, and pulses made up for 4.46 lakh tonnes against the target of 4.48 lakh tonnes.
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| The groundnut production, a major kharif oilseed crop in the state, this year has been 25 lakh tonnes, more than the target set by 1.27 lakh tonnes. Vegetable output at 25.30 lakh tonnes also exceeded the target of 24.23 lakh tonnes.
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| Other horticulture crops, including summer fruit crops, stood at 60,000 tonnes against the projected 52,000 tonnes.
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| “The BT cotton area has increased substantially. Around 70 per cent of the state’s total cotton area was under BT cotton. This led to a quantum jump in the output,” said a senior agriculture official.
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| Arun Dalal, a leading cotton trader from Ahmedabad said, “The country’s total cotton output is likely to be around 3-3.10 crore bales (170 kg each) during 2007-08. Gujarat is likely to produce 110 lakh bales, while Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh will produce 60 lakh bales and 34 lakh bales, respectively.”
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| Last year, the country’s total cotton acreage was 84 lakh hectares, which has increased to 95 lakh hectares this year. In Gujarat, the area under cotton has risen from 21 lakh hectares last year to 25 lakh hectares.
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| The farmers in the state are getting good prices for cotton this year.
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“On an average, they are getting Rs 500 a mound (20 kg), which is higher than the minimum support price (MSP) of cotton, which is fixed at Rs 2,000 a quintal,” said a government official.
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| SURPLUS SEASON
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Kharif crop in the state stood at 82.04 lakh tonnes against the target of 78.13 lakh tonnes
Total foodgrain output during the season was 31.14 lakh tonnes against the target of 29.66 lakh tonnes
Cotton production (at 110 lakh bales) exceeded the target (85.94 lakh bales) by a whopping 24.06 lakh bales |
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