Twitter
Advertisement

With profits heading southward, Guj cotton farmers’ interest wilts

Rise in inflation rate, cost of fertilizers, seeds etc, decline in cotton yield in parts of state & shrinking of profits are main reason.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

In the last decade, cotton prices have seen lots of volatility. However, earnings and margins for cotton farmers in the state have been continuously shrinking in last four to five years.

In 2002-03, when BT cotton was introduced, prices of Shankar 6 variety, also known as Gujarat cotton, shot up from around Rs17,000 per candy (350 kg each), to Rs60,000 last year. While this year, prices tumbled down to around Rs37,000 per candy. "Due to rise in inflation rate, the cost of fertilizers, seeds and labour has increased more than double. On other side, the cotton yield in some regions of Gujarat has declined by 30%. In certain areas of North Gujarat, where I belong to, the yield of cotton five to six years back was 730 kg per hectare which is now come down to 510 kg per hectare. This has further resulted in shrinking of earnings of the farmers," said former president of Bhartiya Kisan Sangh, Praful Senjalia.

Agreeing to the fact, the cotton farmer from North Gujarat, Niranjan Patel too has witnessed fall in earnings this year. "Last year, we got around Rs5,500 per quintal but in this year, the prices have slashed to Rs3,700 per quintal. On other side, the cost of raw material and labour charges has gone up.

The cost of labour till last year was around Rs120 per day is up to Rs200 per day this year. So for next year, I have decided to change the crop, which does not have any labour. If I stick to cotton, I may get into debt trap," said Patel.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement