ADILABAD: It is being expected that there would be a 30-40 per cent fall in cotton yield this season as flowers and cotton bolls dropped and cotton plants damaged due to heavy rains in the old Adilabad district.
The distressed cotton farmers will get some relief only when they get Rs 9,000 price per quintal cotton this season. Many cotton farmers are disappointed with the crop damage and flower dropping and yet to start cotton picking.
The incessant rains caused a lot of damage to the standing crops especially cotton and soya in the month of September and October in the old Adilabad district and this affected the cotton yield. According to rough estimates, cotton was cultivated in the 10 lakh acres in the old Adilabad district and the area of cotton cultivation was high in Adilabad and Komaram Bheem Asifabad districts. The district officials of Adilabad announced that cotton purchases would officially start at market yards from October 20.
The Adilabad market committee officials say that the area of cotton cultivation also reduced this season when compared to last year. Farmers cultivated cotton in 3,83,025 lakh acres in Adilabad district alone and roughly in 10 lakh acres in the old Adilabad district.
The Adilabad market committee officials are expecting the 25 lakh quintal of cotton yield this season in the Adilabad district.
However, the farmers who are already in distress due to crop damage are scared of possible exploitation by private cotton traders taking advantage of their pathetic condition.
Private traders are likely to purchase cotton from farmers by offering more than the MSP Rs 625 and this may stop the CCI from entering into commercial operations.
Sangepu Borranna of Adilabad Rythu Swarajya Vedika said the distressed farmers would get some relief only when they get Rs 9,000 price per quintal, otherwise, they would not get any relief.
