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Despite a delayed monsoon and the sluggish progress of sowing, cotton production in the State is not likely to wilt this Kharif season thanks to improved yields.
Driven by good rains in the growing regions, the yield is likely to be higher, resulting in a stable crop size, say experts.
All-India output In Gujarat, India’s largest cotton producing State, acreage under the fibre crop has touched a three-year low at 23 lakh hectares — which is about 19 per cent lower than the three-year average of 28.21 lakh hectares (lh).
The State accounts for nearly a third of India’s cotton production. Cotton acreage in the country, which stood at around 118 lh for 2015-16 as per the provisional figures of the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), is likely to be lower this year.
But a good rainfall in the growing regions of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, apart from Gujarat, is likely to improve the crop situation for 2016-17.
“As the monsoon was delayed and sowing took a beating, we feared the cotton acreage will go below 100 lh this year. But now with improved rain and water situation, we can expect the acreage to be around 105 lh this year,” said Dhiren Sheth, President, Cotton Association of India (CAI), a trade body for cotton.
For Gujarat, Sheth believes that the area under cotton has gone down but not as significant as it was feared in the early part of the monsoon.
Improved water levels “The monsoon situation has improved in the State. The area may be lower but the yield will improve compared to last year,” he said, adding that the country’s overall cotton crop will be closer to last year’s output.
However, the CAI is likely to officially declare initial crop estimates soon.
Arun Dalal, a cotton expert from Ahmedabad, said, “There will not be any impact of delayed rains on production. We have received good rains in the past few days and it will continue. We expect cotton acreage to touch 25 lakh hectares in Gujarat.”
Research agency Edelweiss, in its report, put India’s cotton crop at 343.3 lakh bales (of 170 kg each) for 2016-17, while yield is estimated at one of the highest in three years at 518 kg/hectare.
Gujarat’s production is seen at around 99.3 lakh bales.
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