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Surekha Sule
The progress of cotton crop during the current kharif season has been to the satisfaction of farmers in major growing states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, according to a post-sowing survey by CA Galiakotwala & Co, a leading cotton trading house.
The progress of cotton crop during the current kharif season has been to the satisfaction of farmers in major growing states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, according to a post-sowing survey by CA Galiakotwala & Co, a leading cotton trading house.
The survey is based on actual interaction with the farmers. Though the survey includes a very small sample, it still indicates a trend.
By and large farmers in these states have been happy with the climatic conditions so far.
The farmers in Gujarat reported that the quantum of rain was just at the desired level which ensured that the growth of grass and weeds close to the cotton plants was minimal.
Usually excessive rains lead to unwanted growth of weeds and grass which affect yields, says the survey. On the other hand, sunny weather followed by rains have ensured that the crop is free from diseases and pests. The farmers in Gujarat are a happy lot since they do not have to incur expenses on pesticides because of the favourable weather condition.
Encouraged by good crop and high prices last year, cotton sowing has increased by 12-15 per cent, reports the survey.
The area under cotton declined by 2-3 per cent, mainly due to the poor yields last year, the survey said.
The rains arrived 10-15 days earlier this year in cotton belt of Maharashtra enabling early sowing due to sufficient moisture in the soil. The rains during the sowing period has not led to much re-sowing in Maharashtra where 93 per cent of the farmers covered under the sample survey depended on rain water as against four per cent in Gujarat.
In contrast, most farmers in northern states do not depend upon the monsoons as they have access to irrigation through tube wells and canals.
Last year in Maharashtra, farmers resorted to heavy doses of pesticides which proved ineffective in controlling the pest menace. In fact farmers who did not use pesticides were better off, the survey says.
In northern states, the pre-sowing climate was favourable but post-sowing climate weren't as temperatures rose destroying young plants. This prompted farmers to go for re-sowing of cotton plants.
Another observation made by the survey was intermittant rains during the time of harvesting last year led to picking of wet seed-cotton which were sowed in some of the areas this year. According to farmers only 50-60 per cent of such wet seeds did sprout. Despite re-sowing by 24 per cent of the respondent farmers, 89 per cent of the farmers in the north are satisfied with the growth of the cotton plants so far.
Last year was one of the worst in the northern cotton growing region. Due to excessive rains there was rise in water table in Punjab followed by severe bollworm pest attacks which could not be controlled much due to sub-standard pesticides.
The rains at the time of harvest affected quality and yield adversely. This led to about 10-15 per cent drop in cotton sowing during the current season. Punjab showed a 25 per cent drop in sowing, Haryana, 12-13 per cent, while Rajasthan registered a rise of 2-3 per cent.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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