Cotton farmers in Telangana face an uncertain future

The hopes of the farmers have been dashed due to adverse weather conditions. The initial sowing of cotton, which began in late May following pre-monsoon showers, was severely impacted by dry spells.

Hyderabad: The cotton farmers in Telangana are facing a severe crisis as the recent heavy rains and subsequent floods have caused extensive damage to their crops. Despite the prospect of stable prices this year, cotton crop was affected in over seven lakh acres due to flooding, according to preliminary estimates.

The State was looking at a significant increase in cotton cultivation this year, as a big shift was expected from paddy which suffered huge losses due to scarcity conditions and failure of irrigation support under major projects last year. However, the hopes of the farmers have been dashed due to adverse weather conditions. The initial sowing of cotton, which began in late May following pre-monsoon showers, was severely impacted by dry spells.

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Despite these challenges, farmers remained hopeful, buoyed by forecasts of stable prices ranging from Rs.6,600 to Rs.7,200 per quintal for the harvest season from November 2024 to February 2025. The optimism was further supported by market intelligence inputs from various institutions, including the Agriculture and Market Intelligence Centre of Prof. Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University.

Last year, cotton prices remained below Rs.7,000 per quintal for most of the season, with only a few varieties fetching remunerative prices. This year, the cost of cotton production has been high, primarily due to labour shortages and the increased cost of inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides.

Cotton was cultivated on nearly 43 lakh acres in Telangana this year. However, preliminary reports indicate that the cotton crop in over one sixth of the net sown area was damaged due to the August rains that triggered widespread floods. The actual extent of the loss is yet to be fully assessed, but the preliminary estimates are alarming.

The government agencies have estimated the preliminary losses due to the recent heavy rains at Rs.5,438 crore. Cotton losses are said to be a significant component of this. The Centre, backed by the Department of Agriculture Economics’ price forecast mechanism, predicts stable prices for most major crops compared to the previous Vanakalam marketing season (June-September). However, the persistent rains are likely to pose a significant threat to the cotton crop. The districts of Mahabubabad and Khammam have borne the brunt of crop losses. The worst is not over yet, feel the farmers.

Cotton farming plays a crucial role in Telangana’s agricultural economy. Adverse seasonal conditions have scuttled the efforts put in by the farmers to improve productivity and reduce production costs. Farmers were demanding compensation at a rate of Rs.35,000 per acres as their crop investments were significantly high this year and timely support was essential to the farmers at this juncture to enable them to raise alternate crops. They are demanding that the State government along with agricultural institutions come to their rescue.