Widespread rain in most parts of Gujarat has brought a sigh of relief for cotton cultivators in the State. The monsoon in the State arrived late by 20 days from the usual date of June 15.
Gujarat is the leading cotton grower in the country with about 2.5 million hectares of land sown every year. Normally, the sowing of cotton beings in June, but due to delayed monsoon this year, the sowing is expected to pick up now.
Although the rainfall in the State is still below normal, good rains during the last one week in Saurashtra, south and central Gujarat has decreased the concerns about a probable reduction in the cotton acreage, and has increased hopes of bountiful production this year.
A delay in rain by another week or ten days would have resulted in a disaster for cotton growers as most of the cotton growing region in the State is rain-fed. The late but timely rain may, however, delay the harvest by nearly a month.
Experts estimate that cotton cultivators with access to irrigation facilities have sown in nearly 450,000 hectares of land in the initial phase of the kharif crop season.
Overall, nearly one-third of cotton sowing in the State is over.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
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