Nellore: Cotton farmers leave crop for cattle grazing

Nellore: Cotton farmers at several places are leaving the crop for grazing due to low yielding and inadequate market price offered by traders. Now, the traders offer around Rs. 3,600 per quintal where the charges for plucking the harvest is around Rs 3,750 per quintal. The MSP announced by the Government is Rs. 5,515 per quintal. In 2018, the paddy farmers (RNR 15048) were compelled to leave their fields for grazing and had incurred heavy losses. Now, the cotton crop is good condition and yielding is also comfortable, but the price being offered by the traders is not supportive.

Owing to coronavirus pandemic and lockdown, India's textiles and apparel exports declined by a shocking 73 percent in April and May that ultimately impacted rural people also. Experts say the decline was due to Covid-19 pandemic in China and lockdowns that stuck exports to China.

In Nellore, majority farmers of upland areas normally grow cotton after completing the paddy season. They were able to get Rs 5,500 to Rs 5,700 per quintal last year. This year, cotton is being cultivated in Vinjamur, Atmakur and Kavali areas in around 20,000 acres. Initially, they used to grow local varieties and subsequently had shifted to BT Cotton varieties.

"The situation of the crop in the upland mandals is disappointing due to closure of factories and due to problems in transportation of goods following the Covid-19 induced nationwide lockdown. There has been no demand from importing countries on account of restrictions due to the pandemic. So, we are getting only Rs. 3,500-3,600 per quintal which is not viable for at least collecting cotton from the field," said T Rami Reddy, a farmer from Vinjamuru.