Haryana: A changing landscape... Farmers in the cotton heartland are increasingly turning to paddy cultivation.
Fatehabad: Once a cotton hub, the area under paddy has now surpassed that of cotton. Decreasing cotton production over the past five years has disillusioned farmers with this cash crop, leading them to shift to paddy cultivation.
This year, the area under cotton in the district has decreased by 65,000 acres, while the area under paddy has increased by 50,000 acres. Five years ago, the area under cotton in the district was 150,000 acres. This has completely transformed the grain markets. Due to the large-scale cotton cultivation in the district, a cotton mill was established in Fatehabad, but due to declining cotton production and acreage, this mill has closed. Farmers have begun cultivating paddy instead.
There are several major reasons for the decline in cotton production. According to farmers, pests like pink bollworm and whitefly have caused significant damage to the cotton crop over the past several years. Furthermore, weather conditions, including excessive rainfall and floods, and drought, have also made cotton farming a loss-making venture.
Farmers say that even after spraying pesticides on diseased crops, production remains so low that they are unable to even cover their costs. Delays in receiving compensation from the government and refusals from insurance companies have shattered farmers' confidence in the cotton crop. This year, a total of 279,470 quintals of cotton was procured in the district's grain markets, while 10,525,850 quintals of paddy were procured.
Cotton acreage in the district over the past four years (in acres)
Years 2021 and 22 - 1.50 lakh
Years 2022 and 23 - 1.09 lakh
Years 2023 and 24 - 79,590
Years 2024 and 25 - 90,630
Years 2025 and 26 - 85,000
The American cotton crop has been infested with pink bollworm for the past two years. This has eroded farmers' confidence in cotton. Cotton cultivation is particularly vulnerable to weather. Meanwhile, the area under paddy cultivation has increased due to increased rainfall and the installation of solar pumps.
