Cotton yield below expectation in North India
Cotton crop in Punjab was hit by a virus attack that didn't allow ball formation. In Haryana, due to poor quality of seed supplied by national company, the crop was infested with white fly insects leading to a loss in yield.
By Madhvi Sally, ET Bureau |
CHANDIGARH: Till the third week of October last year 70 year old Surinder Ahuja, a progressive farmer has got 7 to 7.5 quintal of cotton after two plucking from one acre. This year the farmer who has planted cotton on 50 acre in Hisar (Haryana) and 50 acres in Fazilka (Punjab) has got 5.2 quintal of cotton from one acre. ���There is a loss of 15-20% in yield this year. Also, the quality of the crop is not good,��� he says.
According to Mr Ahuja the crop in Punjab was hit by a virus attack which ensured that ball formation didn���t take place. In Haryana he says due to poor quality of seed supplied by a national company the crop was infested with white fly insects leading to a loss in yield.
The story follows across north India where farmers are crying over loss of yield. However, with the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) purchasing cotton in a big way across Punjab the farmers are getting the assured MSP of Rs 2,800 per quintal. At some places raw cotton was even sold above MSP at many centers in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Traders supplying to major textile mills in north India and across India are expecting cotton prices to touch Rs 3,000 per quintal in the coming days.
Northern Indian Cotton Association (covering the state of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan), has stated that cotton production will fall by maximum 20%. Deficient rainfall followed by high temperature is cited as the reason by the association president, Rakesh Rathi. ���In 2008-09 the farmer was getting 10-14 quintal per acre, whereas this year it is 8-10 quintal. The cotton production will be between 36-37 lakh bales from the targeted 45 lakh bales,��� he said.
Currently the daily arrival of cotton across North India was 10,000 bales compared to 20,000 bales in the previous year. Local spinners were among main buyers in Haryana while CCI was the major purchaser in Punjab. As on date CCI bought kapas of about 1,500 bales in Punjab, 800 bales in Haryana whereas no purchase was made in North Rajasthan.
Punjab cotton and ginners association, president, Bhagwan Bansal informed that rates were expected to increase. ���Out of 350 ginning factories in the state, most of them are doing work for CCI rather than making their own purchases due to the high tax structure,��� he stated while adding that exporters were making purchases form Haryana rather than Punjab.
Bangladesh based exporters have bought J-34 RG from Haryana as truck freights were at Rs 175 per bale from Sirsa in Haryana compared to Rs 250-Rs 300 from Muktsar and Bathinda in Punjab to Kandla port.
According to Mr Ahuja the crop in Punjab was hit by a virus attack which ensured that ball formation didn���t take place. In Haryana he says due to poor quality of seed supplied by a national company the crop was infested with white fly insects leading to a loss in yield.
The story follows across north India where farmers are crying over loss of yield. However, with the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) purchasing cotton in a big way across Punjab the farmers are getting the assured MSP of Rs 2,800 per quintal. At some places raw cotton was even sold above MSP at many centers in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Traders supplying to major textile mills in north India and across India are expecting cotton prices to touch Rs 3,000 per quintal in the coming days.
Northern Indian Cotton Association (covering the state of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan), has stated that cotton production will fall by maximum 20%. Deficient rainfall followed by high temperature is cited as the reason by the association president, Rakesh Rathi. ���In 2008-09 the farmer was getting 10-14 quintal per acre, whereas this year it is 8-10 quintal. The cotton production will be between 36-37 lakh bales from the targeted 45 lakh bales,��� he said.
Currently the daily arrival of cotton across North India was 10,000 bales compared to 20,000 bales in the previous year. Local spinners were among main buyers in Haryana while CCI was the major purchaser in Punjab. As on date CCI bought kapas of about 1,500 bales in Punjab, 800 bales in Haryana whereas no purchase was made in North Rajasthan.
Punjab cotton and ginners association, president, Bhagwan Bansal informed that rates were expected to increase. ���Out of 350 ginning factories in the state, most of them are doing work for CCI rather than making their own purchases due to the high tax structure,��� he stated while adding that exporters were making purchases form Haryana rather than Punjab.
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Bangladesh based exporters have bought J-34 RG from Haryana as truck freights were at Rs 175 per bale from Sirsa in Haryana compared to Rs 250-Rs 300 from Muktsar and Bathinda in Punjab to Kandla port.
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