Adilabad: Low cotton prices devastate farmers

Adilabad: In yet another trouble to farmers, cotton prices has been reduced to Rs.7,910 from Rs.8,600 in just twelve days of time. Farmers allege that the fall in cotton prices is due to the gimmicks of traders. In the beginning, farmers were interested to sell their produce as prices were high in neighboring Maharashtra state. Later, they backed themselves as prices rose again in the Adilabad market. Traders claim that the price of cotton has fallen internationally as of now. With this the farmers has sell their produce again in Maharashtra.

Already the farmers are in losses this year due to the changing weather condition and rains. About 80 per cent cotton picking is completed in the Adilabad, Mancherial and Kumram Bheem Asifabad district. Due to the unwanted rains the yield has already fallen to 50 percent. Last year, the yield was eight quintals per cent an acre, this year it is about 3 to 4 quintals per acre and in some black soiled lands it is about 5 quintals per acre. In the beginning of the season, the farmers stored their produce expecting the hike in cotton price as production is low this year. But when traders saying that the price of cotton is not likely to hike, farmers are forced to sell their produce at lower price.

This year cotton cultivation has increased but the yield has deceased. Last year, the cotton was cultivated in 9.50 lakhs acres, this year it has crossed 10 Lakhs acres. Similarly, last year the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) had procured 60 lakh quintals but this year the cotton cultivation has increased nearly to 50,000 acres. The yield decreased due to damage in crops with heavy rains and insects etc. This year, the officials estimated that about 70 to 60 lakhs quintals would be produced in the erstwhile Adilabad district but due to the bad weather conditions, the production reduced drastically.

A farmer Jakkula Sriram of Adilabad speaking to the Hans India, said that due to the heavy rains he suffered losses after he cultivated cotton in five acres in his agriculture land. So far he has picked 14 quintals of cotton and about 6 to 8 quintal cotton has to be picked. He is expecting about 20 to 22 quintals yield from the five acres land.