Cotton production in Gujarat dips by 30 lakh bales

AHMEDABAD: Cotton production in Gujarat is estimated to dip by around 30 lakh bales during the 2012-13 season following deficient rains.

As per Cotton Advisory Board (CAB) estimates, the production is expected to be at around 87 lakh bales (one bale equals 170 kg) in Gujarat during the 2012-13 season (Oct-Sep) against 120 lakh bales in the last cotton season.

The acreage under the crop during 2012-13 season stood at nearly 24 lakh hectares in the state, a dip of 5.62 lakh hectares as compared to last season. In 2011-12, the acreage under cotton stood at 29.62 lakh hectare.

"Two seasons (2010-11) back, farmers got around Rs 7,000 per quintal price for raw cotton and that's why acreage under the crop shot up to over 29 lakh hectares in Gujarat in 2011-12 season...the yield shot up as the weather was also conducive," a Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) official said.

"This season there were drought like conditions in Saurashtra and Kutch region, and cotton prices fell down. Farmers could not get over Rs 5,000 per quintal for raw cotton," he said, adding, falling prices of cotton could further lead to a dip in cotton sowing during this Kharif in Gujarat,".

Cotton sowing in Gujarat usually commences from mid-May. It is estimated that 20 per cent of irrigated cotton sowing which takes place in North Gujarat including Amreli in May and June may go down by over five per cent.