Area may come down by 10% as drop in yields hurt farmers’ realisations
By Vishwanath Kulkarni
April 17, 2025
Cotton stakeholders see the natural fibre crop losing ground in Central India, the largest producing region, to competing crops such as maize in the upcoming kharif season. The area under cotton is seen to be lower by about a tenth in the season ahead as declining yields over the years have hit the realisations.
Atul Ganatra, President, Cotton Association of India (CAI) - the apex trade body for the fibre crop, said a decline in the acreage will likely be seen in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Farmers in Gujarat will shift from cotton to groundnut and in Maharashtra from cotton to maize, he said.
“The main reason for shifting is the low yield and high expenses. Due to lower yield of an average of 435 kg lint, the cost of production is very high. Farmers cannot reap profits from growing cotton,” Ganatra said.
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/cotton-may-lose-ground-to-maize-in-central-india-this-kharif/ (Source: The Hindu Business line)