New Delhi, Monday, August 6, The absence of rainfall activity during the month of August over Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka would cut the sowing area by 5%-10%. It could bring down the cotton production by 12 %. The scenario has evolved after rain activity has been predicted to remain scanty over these states in the month of August which will badly affect the late sowing of cotton.
Till now, 9.72 million hectares of cotton has been sown compared to 10.44 million hectares of cotton sown last year. With a normal August rain, farmers were expecting to increase the sown area to 10.44 million hectares but rainfall is unlikely to pick up during this period. So, the situation remains grim as rain scarcity is going to spoil even the late sowing of cotton.
The prospect of lower production is expected to lessen exports as well as it can decline to 5.4 million of bales during 2012-13 from 12.68 million of bales last year. Thus, the rain scarcity will lead to drop in export by more than twice compared to last year figure.
India is the world's second biggest cotton producer and exporter; it had produced a record 34.25 million bales in the financial year 2011-12. One bale contains 170 kg of cotton.
