Guntur: Buoyed by good returns, farmers expand cotton sowing areas

Guntur: Cotton sowing area in the State is expected to increase further in 2021-22 kharif in the backdrop of increase of cotton price in the open market during this season.

Cotton price touched Rs 6,500 per quintal in the open market,while the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) fixed the MSP of Rs 5,550 per quintal. At present, farmers in the State are sowing cotton in 15-lakh acres. It is expected to touch 18-lakh to 20-lakh acres in the kharif season.

About 150 spinning mills in the State are generating 2-lakh jobs. The State government and Cotton Corporation of India are also in favour of increasing cotton sowing area in the State and making necessary arrangements to supply seeds and fertilisers to farmers.

Cotton Corporation of AP General Manager G Aditya held discussions with the Agriculture Marketing Commissioner Pradyumna regarding the matter as agriculture commissioner H Arun Kumar is on election duty in Kerala State.

To make fast buck, the seed companies have already increased cotton seed price by Rs50-60 per kg.

Increase in the consumption of cotton seed oil is also one of the reasons for increase of cotton seed price. The officials planning to concentrate on Kadapah, Anantapur and Chittoor districts to increase cotton sowing area.

Agriculture scientists are saying that the farmers may cultivate other crops in the fertile land having water facility.

According to official sources, the CCI had opened 30 centres in Andhra Pradesh and 115 centres in Telangana and purchased cotton from the farmers. While the farmers had produced 25-lakh bales in the State, the CCI had purchased 3.5lakh bales from the farmers.