Cotton sowing short of target in Punjab as season comes to a close

Although cotton prices had shot up in India during the 2017-18 cotton season, cotton sowing is almost over in Punjab for this season, but the state is 30% short of its targeted area under the crop. As of 29 May, cotton sowing was complete over only 2.83 lakh hectares, against the target of 4-lakh-hectare. This implies a shortfall of 1.15 lakh hectares and assuming average yield of 756 kg per hectare, the crop loss could be more than 5 lakh bales.

Shortage of canal water is cited as the key reason behind less and late sowing of cotton in Punjab. Bhakra main branch canal is likely to be closed for south-western districts of Malwa from 31 May, which will further set hurdles in sowing activity.

Among all districts, only Fazilka is closer to the sowing target at 72,000 hectares, with the target at 80,000 hectares. Other seven cotton-growing districts have fallen short by larger margins. Mansa is the worst with sowing only in 40,000 hectares against the target of 88,500 hectares.

The state agriculture officials admitted that sowing has been well short of target. Punjab director of agriculture J S Bains said, “We expect sowing to cross 3 lakh hectares in the coming few days. We have asked officials to keep a tab on late sown crop. Late sowing this year is less as compared to previous year. In 2017, cotton was sown later over 1.05 lakh hectares and this time it is 85,000 hectares.”

Farmer organisation Ekta Ugrahan held a protest at the office of the executive engineer of the irrigation department at Mansa against proposed closing of the Bhakra canal from 31 May. Due to the canal going dry, farmers will suffer heavily. The protestors demanded that closure should be deferred to help farmers sow cotton.

Cotton is the second biggest kharif crop of Punjab after paddy, including basmati.