Despite Centre’s flip-flop, Saurashtra plods on with cotton farming

Rajkot:

Acreage increases by a lakh hectares, delayed monsoon favours cotton over groundnut, say farmers



The cotton acreage in Saurashtra has increased in some parts this year despite the uncertainties plaguing the cotton export policy.



Both markets and a delayed monsoon have played a role in this. Cotton has been sown over 18 lakh hectares in Gujarat and the total acreage in Saurashtra-Kutch alone has touched the 13 lakh hectares mark. Saurashtra accounts for more than 60 per cent of total cotton production and 40 per cent of the total cotton export from India.



The Centre’s cotton export policy saw a major swing last year, which included a total ban on export beyond 55 lakh bales and introduction of new taxes, leaving farmers and traders in the lurch when prices in the international market had touched a record high of Rs 38,000 to Rs 45,000 per candy.

 This week, the government announced its decision to lift the ban and farmers are now hoping the Centre provides subsidy on incurred export expense.

Sowing figures available from regional agriculture office indicate that the total cotton acreage in Saurashtra-Kutch has increased by a lakh hectares.



Agriculture Department officials have said the sowing activity is still on in Kutch (where the monsoon arrived very late) and Porbandar (where some agriculture land is still submerged following heavy rains). According to them, the final acreage figure might see some changes.



Sowing is almost complete in Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Bhavnagar, Amreli and Surendranagar districts, said officials.