Sarfaraz Ahmed
Jan 23, 2025
Nagpur: Dilip Pohane, a farmer from Hinganghat in Wardha district, reaped a record breaking 24 quintals of raw cotton per acre in his fields using the high-density plantation system (HDPS).
The central govt has been emphasising HDPS adoption to increase cotton production to international standards. Currently, countries such as the US produce over 2,000 kg of lint per hectare, while India's ratio is below 400 kg per hectare.
The close-spacing method to cultivate more crops in less space has already been adopted by 1,500 farmers in Akola and is being embraced by those from Wardha and Nagpur too. Over 550 cotton farmers from Nagpur and Wardha districts participated in the project and recorded a threefold increase in the production of the cash crop in 2023-24.
The central govt is planning to bring 50,000 hectares in Akola alone under HDPS following bigger support from more farmers. Pohane was awarded by CITI-CIDRA during a review of the HDPS project in the city on Wednesday. CITI-CDRA (Confederation of Indian Textile Industry-Cotton Development and Research Association) is the implementing agency through ICAR-Central Institute of Cotton Research.
The ministry of textiles, through CITI-CIDRA, implemented a pilot project for HDPS, giving a subsidy of Rs16,000 per hectare on seeds besides assistance in sowing using machines in 3x1 rows. So far, farmers under the pilot were averaging 12-15 quintals. Cotton experts said 24 quintals broke records. Farmers get around 6-7 quintals of cotton using traditional planting methods. Pohane owns 10 acres of land in Dharoda village of Hinganghat and dedicated two acres for HDPS plantation. "I started in 2021 but initially didn't get a high yield due to poor seed quality.
But it was more than the regular crop gain. Next year, I purchased good quality seeds and got 17 quintals per acre. The yield slid a bit in 2023, but this year I got a record breaking 24 quintals per acre with an investment of Rs60,000," he said. Cotton scientist CD Mayee said increasing the yield is not possible without a technological upgrade.
Cotton advisor Govind Wairale, who is the co-ordinator for CITI-CDRA in Maharashtra, said the HDPS pilot has shown a threefold jump in the state's cotton productivity. "More farmers are joining the project. A demonstration of cotton shredding and preparing biochar to make the land fertile was also given to delegates from across the country at Kanhan," he said.
(Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com)