Farmers Fear Lower Prices After Unseasonal Rains Damage Cotton Crops
Indore: Recent unseasonal rainfall has caused significant discoloration and damage to standing cotton crops, sparking concerns among farmers about receiving lower prices for their produce.
The untimely rains have also delayed the cotton picking process, farmers reported. Typically, the cotton picking season begins in mid-September and lasts through October and November. While the first round of picking has been completed, the second is still underway.
Damage to the standing crop, along with quality concerns, has negatively affected the newly harvested cotton. "The rains have compromised the quality of the cotton and caused damage to the standing crop. These quality issues have led to suppressed prices in the spot market," said Kailash Agrawal, a cotton farmer and ginning unit owner.
According to cotton traders, the price of newly harvested raw cotton in the Khargone market ranges from Rs 3,500 to Rs 7,500 per quintal. This wide price range reflects the quality issues and increased moisture content caused by the rains.
In the Indore division, cotton is cultivated across approximately 19 lakh hectares, with Khargone, Khandwa, Barwani, Manawar, Dhar, Ratlam, and Dewas being key cotton-growing areas.
Manjeet Singh Chawla, founder president of the Madhya Pradesh Cotton Ginners and Traders Association, noted that while the rains have impacted quality, the damage to cotton crops is not as severe as for other crops."Cotton production this season is expected to be favorable overall, as weather conditions were conducive during sowing and growth, except for the recent rains."
The Cotton Association of India has projected Madhya Pradesh's cotton production for the 2024-25 season at 19 lakh bales (1 bale = 170 kg).
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