Cotton Growers Fear Low Yield After Prolonged Rains
2024-08-06 11:29:16
Cotton Farmers Are Afraid about Low Yield Following Extended Rains
Nagpur: Vidarbha cotton growers are increasingly anxious due to prolonged rainfall, which has hindered the growth of their primary agricultural produce.
Farmers fear the continuous rain may negatively impact the yield, potentially delaying the harvest and disrupting their cash flow cycle. Typically, the first round of cotton plucking around Dussehra provides crucial funds during the festive season.
The persistent rains have also led to an overgrowth of grass in the fields, increasing cultivation costs. According to farmers, the lack of sunny days has created excessive humidity, which is detrimental to cotton growth. Ganesh Nanote, a farmer from Akola district, noted that cotton needs intervals of dry weather and sunlight for optimal growth, conditions that have been lacking this year.
In Yavatmal’s Bori village, located on the Maharashtra-Telangana border, farmer Gajanan Singedwar reported that cotton plants should be at waist level and starting boll formation by this time of year. However, the rain has slowed growth, possibly pushing the harvest back to Diwali.
Kishore Tiwari, former chairman of the Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swavalamban Mission, a state government task force on farm crises, confirmed that cotton crops are affected across the state. "There needs to be at least a week's break from the rain for the crops to recover. The cycle is already delayed by twenty days," he said.
Agriculture department officials are hopeful that a respite from the rains will help the crops recover. While early-sown cotton is already in the boll stage, late-sown cotton is likely to face more significant impacts from the adverse weather conditions.
