Cotton farmers in Tamil Nadu have been advised to sell their summer irrigated crop in the rice fallows of the Cauvery dela immediately after harvest without waiting for any hike in prices.

A survey carried out by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) , said buoyed by higher prices fetched last year, many farmers resorted to high yielding, short duration varieties to reap maximum profits immediately.

“There won’t be any scope for price increase during the current season. Hence, farmers are advised to dispose of the summer irrigated cotton immediately,” advised the Price Forecasting Scheme of the Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies, TNAU.

The Price Forecasting Scheme is funded by World Bank supported Tamil Nadu Irrigated Agricultural Modernisation project.

According to the Ministry of Textiles, cotton is grown on 130.61 lakh hectares (lh) with a production of 343.47 lakh bales (of 170 kg each) during 2022-23. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh are the major cotton producing States. In Tamil Nadu, the fibre crop is grown on 1.62 lh with 3.56 lakh bales of production.

With the anticipation of better prices, the stocks held by the farmers were affected by the recent cyclone Biparjoy leading to poor quality and surplus arrivals dragging the prices down. Moreover, 10 lakh bales of cotton are being imported as a precaution to battle the price spike witnessed in 2022.

Per the result of the analysis and market survey, the farm-gate price of good quality cotton during harvest would be ₹6,500-6,800 per quintal. Hence, farmers are advised to take up sowing decisions of rain-fed cotton accordingly. In Tamil Nadu, cotton is grown both under irrigated and rain-fed situations. Sowing of the rain-fed crop in the Southern districts extends up to October. 

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