India: cotton planting halved in Gujarat
Cotton planting in India’s state of Gujarat is down by half so far this year due to a scarcity of rain, but it is expected to gain momentum with the expected late arrival of the monsoon soon.
“Cotton has been sown only in 576,000 hectares so far in Gujarat, as compared to 1.74 million hectares during the corresponding period last year,” a senior officer of the state agriculture department said.
Cotton sowing, which started in June, continues till the end of July. The state had sown cotton in an area of 2.6 million hectares last year, the officer added.
India is the second largest producer of cotton in the world after China. Within the country, Gujarat is the leading producer of cotton, followed by Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. The Saurashtra region in North Gujarat is the main cotton belt in the state.
The industry is hoping that the late monsoon, which is expected to hit the western state soon, might cover up this loss. “Even two to three days of good rain would boost cotton sowing in the state,” Cotton Association of India (CAI) Chairman Dhiren N Seth said.
The Meteorological Department has forecast that the monsoon will hit Gujarat soon.
