CHANDIGARH: Farmers sowing the indigenous variety of cotton, known as "Desi Cotton"are getting higher price in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.Farmers are selling desi cotton for an average of Rs 2,800 per maund (one maund=37.32 kg) compared to Rs 2,600 for BT cotton as the demand is picking from medical and quilt making industry.
Around 5-8% of the 13.35 lakh hectares is covered under desi cotton in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. The crop is largely sown in Rajasthan where the sandy and loamy soil is conducive for the plant growth. According to Jagtar Singh a farmer at Ganganagar in Rajasthan currently the seed companies were procuring desi cotton for Rs 3300 to Rs 3500 per maund.
The desi cotton contains rough fibre characteristics with a staple length of around 20 mm and micronaire count of over 7.These features make it suitable for a limited use for the production of denims, tarpaulins, khaddar cloth and other rough fabric spun and weaved locally in the cottage industry informed Northern Indian Cotton Association (covering the state of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan), president, Rakesh Rathi. This is one of the main reasons why even as the desi cotton yield varies from 8-12 quintal per acre, compared to 6-8 quintal of Bt cotton, industries and large farmers were going for Bt varieties.
However, desi cotton has a huge market in the medical industry (surgical cotton, cotton swab,sanitary nakins etc) and quilt manufacturers as it can absorb more water. With water table going down in Rajatshan, southerns part of Haryanana dn punjba more farmers are now opting for guar crop which is a big concern for farmers. Also non availability of labour is being seeing as a big challenge.
“Big farmers are not going for the plantation as the desi cotton needs plucking at 4-5 day interval. Light showers or windy weather may ensure that the cotton balls fall in the ground. Compared to it the Bt varieties are plucked thrice in a season,”said Abohar based Gheru Lala Bal Chand firm owner, Pradeep Sharda.
Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), President, A Sakthivel, has approached Commerce Ministry and Ministry of Textiles calling for immediate ban on export of raw cotton or putting a limited ceiling of 4 lakh bales per month with an annual ceiling of 50 lakh bales for exports. The demand has gained further grounds in view of steep hike in prices of cotton yarn by about 20% in last two months from Rs. 13 per Kg to Rs.16 per Kg. Mr Sakthivel added that since Indian exporters could not be able to absorb the cost nor would be able to pass on the same to buyers, they may default in executing exports orders already obtained. Such a move will prompt foreign buyers to shift their procurement base out of India to countries such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China, Vietnam, Turkey etc. FIEO chief feared that this may lead to massive job losses on unprecedented scale in all segment of exports starting from fabrics to made-ups and garments.
Source : The Economic Times