Area under cotton cultivation for the season 2007-08 is estimated at 72.28 lakh hectares by mid-July 2007 compared to 64.17 lakh hectares, up by 13% over the same period of last season, according to the Directorate of Cotton Development.
The total area under cotton is seen at 89-90 lakh hectares during the season as against the record 91.58 lakh hectares reached in 2006-07. The next meeting of the Cotton Advisory Board (CAB) is scheduled to be held on August 9 in Mumbai to discuss the cotton crop estimate for the new season 2007-08.
?If the present progress is maintained and there are no natural calamities, the country can look forward to another record crop for the new season. The overall crop is expected to be over 300 lakh bales as against 282 lakh bales for season 2006-07,? sources at East India Cotton Association (EICA) said.
By mid-July, the area under cotton has exceeded by a substantial margin over previous season. This year good rains were received at the start of the season itself which facilitated brisk sowing of the rainfed crop. Subsequently heavy rains caused some interruption and also necessitated re-sowings in some parts of the country, sources said.?Looking to the current situation, major cotton growing states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh may witness record crop this season due to good rains and increase in area under Bt cotton and hybrid seeds,? a leading trader said.Farmers growing Bt cotton stood to gain appreciably in net income owing to higher yield and lower production cost. According to rough estimate, about 22 lakh packets of Bt seeds have been sold in Gujarat state and about 12 lakh heactares covered under Bt cotton area, out of total 23 lakh hectares area, sources said.