Cotton ready for harvest, crop loss likely in a few pockets

Cotton crop in many parts of Kalahandi district is ready for harvesting while in some pockets, there might be crop loss owing to adverse weather condition.
Cotton ready for harvest, crop loss likely in a few pockets

BHAWANIPATNA:Cotton crop in many parts of Kalahandi district is ready for harvesting while in some pockets, there might be crop loss owing to adverse weather condition. Cotton, which is considered the most important cash crop grown in the district, is in ‘boll bursting’ stage and harvesting will begin within the next fortnight.

In the current kharif season, cotton has been grown in 54,757 hectares (ha), the highest in the State. It was expected that production of seed cotton will be 54,76,700 quintals at the rate of 10 quintals per ha, which is on a par with the national average. Inter-cropping of different vegetable crops and pulses, mostly Kandula Dal, within the cotton fields have been taken up in 20,000 ha which will bring additional income to the cotton growers.

However, unfavourable weather condition in September and October has had an adverse impact on the crop in some pockets, according to the reports of National Cotton Research Centre, Bhawanipatna. As a result of rain and overcast weather condition during the last week of September and second week of October, cotton crops in 10,000 ha have been affected. In these cases, either ‘boll bursting’ has not taken place or there is blackening of bolls. This might lead to 20 per cent yield loss or discoloured fibre production in the affected pockets which will be about 50,000 quintals of seed cotton, said District Subject Matter Specialist (Cotton), Narayan Upadhaya. Despite this, the overall condition of crop is encouraging, he said. Upadhaya added that farmers have been advised to pluck the affected cotton bolls so that this does not affect the good quality cotton.

Currently, the district administration is preparing modalities for the operation of mandis of RMC where registered traders will procure cotton.Kalahandi district contributes 40 per cent of total cotton production in the State and the crop grown here is in huge demand due to its high fibrous and organic qualities. No chemical fertiliser or pesticide is used in the cultivation unlike in other cotton-growing States.

There is an increasing demand in both national and international markets for organic cotton, said Upadhaya, adding that traders from different parts of the country procure cotton from Kalahandi. Cotton is grown primarily in Bhawanipatna, Kesinga, Golamunda, Narla, Karlamund and Lanjigarh blocks of the district as an alternative cash crop due to presence of black soil that is suitable for its cultivation.

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