Punjab, Haryana miss cotton acreage targets

Cotton in Punjab and Haryana has failed to reach the targeted acreage during the current Kharif season, despite governments' effort in encouraging farmers to shift towards cash crops. With crop sowing almost complete in both states, Punjab has seen cotton acreage of 4.50 lakh hectares as against the target of 5.25 lakh hectares set by the state government.

While in neighbouring Haryana, the total area under cotton was 5.8 lakh hectares as against the target of 6 lakh hectares. The current area of cotton was also much less than that of 6.48 lakh hectares which was witnessed during the last season.

Farmers said poor returns from the crop during the last season discouraged in increasing the area under cultivation in both the states. The cultivators got crop prices in the range of Rs 3,900 to Rs 4,600 per quintal last season as against an estimate of more than Rs 5,000 per quintal. "Cotton prices have been dropping for the last two seasons whereas input costs are rising. When farmers are getting lower prices for their produce then why they will bring more area under cotton as per the crop diversification programme," Bharitya Kisan Union (Rajewal), President, Balbir Singh Rajewal said.

He added, about three years back, farmers even got Rs 7,000 a quintal for cotton crop.

Rajewal said farmers will move towards traditional crop like paddy which assures minimum rate and marketing, defeating the objective of crop diversification.

Farmers have also expressed displeasure over the lower increase in cotton MSP by the Centre, saying it is "insufficient" to cover their input cost.

Centre has recently raised cotton MSP by Rs 50 per quintal to Rs 4,100 per quintal for long staple and Rs 3,800 per quintal for medium staple for 2015-16.

North India Cotton Association President Mahesh Sharda said though area under cotton has dipped in Punjab and Haryana this season, the prices are unlikely to increase this season as well.

Punjab and Haryana government have been encouraging farmers to diversify to less water consuming crops such as maize, cotton and sugarcane among others in order to reduce area under paddy which has been described as water-guzzling crop.

Punjab government has even encouraged high density cotton cultivation at bigger scale under cotton mechanisation programme in the state. It had announced to give subsidy on opting for high density cotton cultivation.