New equation for Kharif crops: Preference for 'these' crops instead of cotton!
2025-05-14 11:12:43
Kharif Switch: Farmers Ditch Cotton for New Crops Maharashtra: There is a big change in the crop pattern for the Kharif season in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. Due to low profit in cotton prices and continuous increase in production cost, farmers are turning to soybean, maize and jowar instead of cotton this year.
According to the estimate of the Agriculture Department, the area of cotton will decrease by about 21 thousand hectares, while the area of soybean is estimated to increase by 144 percent.
For the last few years, the profit from cotton crop is getting less, prices are also weak. Apart from this, looking at the cost from cultivation to production, it seems that cotton is not affordable.
Due to this, the Agriculture Department has estimated that this year the area of cotton in the district will be reduced by about 21,346 hectares. Recently, a pre-kharif season meeting was held in the District Collector's office under the chairmanship of Guardian Minister Sanjay Shirsat. In this meeting, information was given about the possible crop sowing for the Kharif season. According to this, during the Kharif season, sowing is done in about 6 lakh 86 thousand 562 hectares of area in the district. This year also sowing is expected in the same area. However, it was also noted that there will be a change in the crop pattern. For the last several years, cotton is being cultivated on about 3 lakh 87 thousand 146 hectares in the district.
The attachment of farmers towards cotton is decreasing, because for the last three years the price received for cotton has not been in line with the production cost. Cotton cultivation has been declining since last year. The Agriculture Department estimates that this year the area will decrease by about 21,346 hectares. While the area of cotton is decreasing in the district, the area of soybean is increasing. Last year, soybean was cultivated on only 24,398 hectares of land in the district. This year this area is estimated to reach 35,125 hectares.
The agriculture department said that soybean sowing is expected to increase by 144 per cent. Turi got a good price last year. It was estimated that the area of Turi would increase. Maize crop is also becoming popular among farmers. This year maize will be planted in about 1 lakh 92 thousand 512 hectares. Jowar is on the verge of extinction. Kharif jowar was sown well in the district 30 years ago. However, Kharif jowar is not used for food. Farmers are now sowing jowar only because it provides fodder to animals.
