Telangana: Hike in cotton seed price to make cultivation costlier

Increased prices of fertilizers, pesticides, land rent, ploughing charges and labour wages add to the farmers’ burden

Sangareddy: Farmers who cultivate cotton in erstwhile Medak district will have to shell out more on each acre of cultivation this year as cotton companies have increased the price of a seed packet by Rs 37.

Cotton seeds will be sold in 450-gram packs. The price of each cotton seed packet has been increased from 864 to 901 this year. In fact, the price of seed packets increased from 730 to 901 in just five years. The farmers have to sow two to three packets of seeds on each acre. They are sometimes forced to sow a second time if the seeds fail to germinate due to heavy rains or lack of rains.

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While farmers in Sangareddy cultivate cotton in 3.50 lakh acres, farmers in Siddipet and Medak districts cultivate the crop in 1.50 lakh acres and 50,000 acres respectively.

Apart from the seed prices, the cotton farmers rue the increased prices of fertilizers, pesticides, land rent, ploughing charges and increased labour wages.

Speaking to ‘Telangana Today’, Sangappa, a farmer from Atmakur village in Sadasivapet mandal, said the investment on each acre of cultivation had increased considerably over the years while the price of cotton had not increased at the same rate. However, they were forced to cultivate cotton hoping for some bumper harvest every year to get some profits, he said, adding that spurious seeds, heavy rains, drought and lack of price in the market continued to dash their hopes every year.

Since farmers have to keep everything ready in April by purchasing seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, they are still waiting for the release of Rythu Bharosa and loan waiver assistance. Many farmers in the district are yet to get the Yasangi Rythu Bharosa assistance, which they wanted to use on purchasing seeds and fertilizers for the upcoming Vanakalam season.