Switch to sugarcane to affect Gujarat’s cotton production

SURAT: With a large number of cotton growers switching to alternative crops, mainly sugarcane, a low availability of farm workers in the region is likely to push the cotton production in south Gujarat below 8,000 bales over the next five years. Contrary to the fact that cotton production in Gujarat, especially in Saurashtra and Kutch has increased, the traditional cotton growers in the southern region are fast switching over to sugarcane cultivation. Experts say cotton production in this region has been between 10,000 bales and 30,000 bales from the year 2001 to 2006, which may go below 8,000 bales over the next five years.

“We cannot force the farmers to stick to cotton cultivation. Obviously, they are going to cultivate the crops which pay them higher dividends,” said Kasan Patel, president of South Gujarat Cotton Marketing Union. Mr Patel said cotton growers are facing a lot of difficulties like low availability of farm labourers, disease in the cotton crops and recurring phenomenon of floods and heavy rains in the region. Whereas for the cultivation of sugarcane, farmers grow canes in their fields and the rest of the job is performed by the sugar mills when the reaping season arrives.

“Farmers in the region are wary of the destruction wreaked by the ravaging flood waters in August, 2006. Around 10,000 bales were estimated to have been destroyed in the floods,” said Patel. According to an office-bearer of the union, the state government has been paying less attention to the region because the production of cotton is very low compared to Saurashtra-Kutch. “Farmers should be encouraged to cultivate cotton which will ultimately contribute to the total cotton production in the state,” he said. Sources say cotton production in the region had touched 30,000 bales in 2005 due to the drop in the sugar prices. In 2006, cotton production was below 15,000 bales in 2006 due to the rise in the sugar prices and floods.