| PRODUCTIVITY OF COTTON IN INDIA THIS YEAR LOWEST IN A DECADE |
The production estimate released by the Cotton Association (CAI) yesterday has arrived at a crop estimate of 312 lakh bales of 170 kgs. each for the 2018-19 season.
According to this estimate, per hectare productivity of cotton in India during 2018-19 works out to merely 420.72 kgs. i.e. 2.47 bales per hectare. Given below is a statement containing the state-wise productivity of cotton in India during the 2018-19 crop year.
This brings to light a startling fact that cotton productivity in India this year is the lowest in a decade. Bringing larger area into cultivation of cotton to increase production is not the solution for India. What is required to improve the health of cotton sector in India is to increase the cotton productivity level. This calls for urgent attention and concerted efforts by all stakeholders for increasing the cotton productivity level in India lest a day should not be far off when India will turn into a net cotton importing country.
| Mumbai | (Atul S. Ganatra) |
| 12th July 2019 | President |
| COTTON ASSOCIATION OF INDIA | ||||
| COTTON SEASON (OCT-SEPT) 2018-19 | ||||
| Name of the state | 2018-19 | |||
| Area (Lakh Hectare) | Production (Lakh bales of 170 kgs. each) (Pressed Bales + Loose) | Yield | ||
| Bales per Hectare | Kgs. per Hectare | |||
| Punjab | 2.68 | 8.75 | 3.26 | 555.04 |
| Haryana | 7.08 | 23.00 | 3.25 | 552.26 |
| Rajasthan | 6.29 | 27.25 | 4.33 | 736.49 |
| NORTHERN ZONE | 16.05 | 59.00 | 3.68 | 624.92 |
| Gujarat | 26.59 | 86.00 | 3.23 | 549.83 |
| Maharashtra | 42.54 | 71.00 | 1.67 | 283.73 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 6.14 | 23.18 | 3.78 | 641.79 |
| CENTRAL ZONE | 75.27 | 180.18 | 2.39 | 406.94 |
| Telangana | 18.27 | 35.50 | 1.94 | 330.32 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 6.21 | 12.00 | 1.93 | 328.50 |
| Karnataka | 6.88 | 15.50 | 2.25 | 382.99 |
| Tamil Nadu | 1.31 | 5.50 | 4.20 | 713.74 |
| SOUTHERN ZONE | 32.67 | 68.50 | 2.10 | 356.44 |
| Orissa | 1.58 | 3.32 | 2.10 | 357.22 |
| Others | 0.50 | 1.00 | 2.00 | 340.00 |
| TOTAL | 126.07 | 312.00 | 2.47 | 420.72 |