HYDERABAD: Experts said that Telangana’s cotton fields hold tremendous potential and its farmers lead the country by displaying remarkable resilience suggested that to push the productivity gains of the State, and ensure cotton growers continue their strides, High-Density Planting System (HDPS) should be replicated on a wide scale.
With HDPS, the density of cotton plant populations is significantly increased, potentially quadrupling the number to 26,000 plants per acre. This innovative approach holds the potential to escalate both cotton production and overall productivity by an estimated 30-40 per cent, marking a substantial increase from the current lint yield of 450 kg/ha to a promising 750 kg/ha. Cotton holds a pivotal place in Telangana’s agricultural GDP, contributing 43 per cent. Amplifying this further is the effective irrigation system enabled by water resources from diverse projects.
M Ramasami, chairman of Rasi Seeds underlined the significance of HDPS in revolutionising the State’s cotton industry. “Empowering farmers is our goal. HDPS, optimising plant density and land use, paves the way for greater cotton productivity,” he affirmed highlighting why this is critical now.
International cotton expert and vice president of Agricultural & Environmental Research at Cotton Inc, USA, Dr Kater Hake said as the agricultural landscape continues to evolve, India’s remarkable strides in cotton productivity stand out. Embracing cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs is now more crucial than ever, offering us the avenue to enhance yields and improve the livelihoods of our farmers.