Distressed Farmers Uproot Cotton To Sow Chana In Adilabad
Mankar Dayakar said the pink bollworm infestation had sharply reduced yields, making it uneconomical to continue cotton cultivation.
ADILABAD: Distressed farmers in the erstwhile Adilabad district are uprooting standing cotton crops and sowing Bengal gram (chana) in the same fields to recover losses suffered during the current kharif season.
Farmers say cotton crops were severely affected by high moisture content due to foggy weather, flood-related damage and a widespread pink bollworm attack. Nearly 30 farmers, including Chavan Sudhakar and Mankar Dayakar of Sanghdi village in Bela mandal, have removed their standing cotton crop, which had very few bolls and was badly damaged by the pest. Some have already begun sowing chana as an alternative crop.
Mankar Dayakar said the pink bollworm infestation had sharply reduced yields, making it uneconomical to continue cotton cultivation. “Even if we retain the crop till the end, the yield will be very low. Replacing it with chana is the only way to limit losses,” he said.
Farmers are also struggling with high agricultural labour costs amid poor yields. With labourers charging about ₹400 per day, many farmers are waiting for more bolls to open on each plant so that the quantity picked justifies the wages. Otherwise, labourers end up collecting very little cotton during working hours, adding to farmers’ losses.
As a result, the second round of cotton picking has been delayed, leaving unpicked bolls visible on plants across several fields. Cold weather has further reduced labour availability, with some workers unwilling to pick cotton in prevailing conditions.
Cotton was cultivated on 4.30 lakh acres in Adilabad district and 3.34 lakh acres in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district during the kharif season.
Meanwhile, farmers alleged that the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), Adilabad branch, is making deductions from the minimum support price of ₹8,110 per quintal, citing poor cotton stability. In contrast, private traders are offering around ₹7,200 per quintal.
Farmers said early morning dew and persistent fog have caused cotton bolls to drop, worsening crop losses. Several farmers who suffered heavy damage have already removed the standing crop and switched to Bengal gram to salvage the season.