Notification Regarding Revision of Incentive for Indigenous Cotton Pending; Farmers in Limbo
In Haryana, the government has not yet issued an official notification regarding the proposed increase in the incentive amount for the cultivation of indigenous cotton. This has left farmers in a state of confusion. Under the current regulations, an incentive of ₹3,000 per acre is applicable for indigenous cotton; however, during the budget session, an announcement was made to raise this amount to ₹4,000 per acre.
Farmers express concern that, despite the sowing season drawing near, the absence of a notification makes it unclear whether they will be able to avail the benefits of the scheme during this Kharif season. If the proposed increase in the incentive amount is not implemented, the likelihood of an expansion in the area under indigenous cotton cultivation could diminish, potentially prompting farmers to shift toward alternative crops such as paddy.
This issue is likely to have a significant impact on major cotton-producing districts such as Sirsa, Hisar, Fatehabad, Jind, and Bhiwani. The Sirsa region is considered a pivotal hub for cotton production within the state and is also home to the Central Institute for Cotton Research.
According to the Department of Agriculture, the government has currently neither issued the notification regarding the incentive hike nor requested a detailed report on the acreage under indigenous cotton cultivation—a procedural prerequisite for the implementation of the scheme.
According to Sukhbir Singh, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture, farmers will be able to access the benefits of the enhanced incentive amount only after the official notification has been issued.
Currently, approximately 7,000 farmers cultivate indigenous cotton across an area of about 17,000 acres, receiving assistance under this scheme. For some time now, farmers have been distancing themselves from cotton cultivation—primarily due to concerns regarding production costs, pink bollworm infestations, and crop diseases—resulting in a continuous decline in the total area under cotton cultivation.
Meanwhile, this issue was also raised during the Legislative Assembly session. Gokul Setia, the Congress MLA from Sirsa, had called for the expansion of the incentive scheme and highlighted the shrinking acreage dedicated to indigenous cotton cultivation. The agricultural incentive schemes announced by the government during the Budget Session include: an incentive of ₹4,000 per acre for indigenous cotton; an additional bonus of ₹2,000 for alternative crops (excluding paddy); the expansion of the horticulture insurance scheme; the promotion of sugarcane cultivation and beekeeping; and the expansion of veterinary infrastructure.
read more :- Kharif Plan: Decline in Cotton, Rise in Maize
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