Haryana cotton area to remain subdued

The cotton production in Haryana is likely to remain subdued this year owing to prolonged dry spell. Not only the productivity, but cotton yield also could register a decline this year, owing to uncongenial climatic conditions.

Ravi Chandra Punia , Joint Director, Cotton (Sirsa), maintained the dry spell had impacted the sowing of cotton in state. He maintained in absence of rainfall during the month of May, things could turn worse and the area under cotton could furthered decline. As of now, 1.50 lakh hectare has been covered under cotton in Haryana compared to 1.90 lakh hectare previous year.

Although the Haryana agriculture department is targeting 6 lakh hectares area to be covered under the kharif crop, officials believe the area would be less. The officials maintain area would be close to last year’s figure. Last year cotton was sown in area around 5.07 lakh hectares.

Last year, farmers in the state got better remunerations for cotton crop Rs 3300-Rs 3400 per quintal and this encouraged farmers to move to cotton sowing. Also the fact with prolonged dry spell, farmers in the region are concerned over the irrigation facility. Not prepared to take chances farmers especially in the belts like Jind, Fatehabad, Hisar and Sirsa, have shifted their interest from paddy sowing to cotton sowing.

However the officials maintained the extended dry spell was giving dome anxious moments for the crop .The underground water quality was not suited for the cotton crop and if dry spell persist it could further pull down the area under cotton in the state.