Interviews
Desi variety of cotton reaps rich gains
03 Dec '09
2 min read
Farmers across India cultivate two types of cotton crop. The Bt cotton variety and the desi variety. The desi variety of crop is mainly grown in the north Indian states of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana, due to the favourable soil and weather conditions.
In recent days, the desi cotton variety is commanding a better price than Bt cotton. One maund (one maund=37.30 kg) of desi cotton is able to generate Rs 2,800 per maund, compared to Rs 2,600 per maund for Bt cotton.
Desi cotton is mainly used in producing denims, tarpaulins and khaddar cloth, due to its rough fibre characteristics, but apart from this, there is an increasing demand from medical textiles from which surgical cotton, swabs and sanitary napkins are manufactured.
With the anvil of Bt cotton in India, desi cotton is losing ground due to the main reason that it is susceptible to pests and other diseases, which could lower the returns for the farmers, while Bt cotton seeds are able to withstand attacks from these pests.
Despite the fact that, the desi variety of cotton gives yields of up to 8-12 quintal per acre, compared to 6-8 quintal of Bt cotton, cotton farmers prefer to sow Bt cotton seeds.
In recent days, the desi cotton variety is commanding a better price than Bt cotton. One maund (one maund=37.30 kg) of desi cotton is able to generate Rs 2,800 per maund, compared to Rs 2,600 per maund for Bt cotton.
Desi cotton is mainly used in producing denims, tarpaulins and khaddar cloth, due to its rough fibre characteristics, but apart from this, there is an increasing demand from medical textiles from which surgical cotton, swabs and sanitary napkins are manufactured.
With the anvil of Bt cotton in India, desi cotton is losing ground due to the main reason that it is susceptible to pests and other diseases, which could lower the returns for the farmers, while Bt cotton seeds are able to withstand attacks from these pests.
Despite the fact that, the desi variety of cotton gives yields of up to 8-12 quintal per acre, compared to 6-8 quintal of Bt cotton, cotton farmers prefer to sow Bt cotton seeds.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
Popular News
Leave your Comments
Editor’s Pick
Christian Guinet
French Textile Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (UCMTF)
Aleksandre Akhalkatsishvili
Label - Aleksandre Akhalkatsishvili
Esteemed Clients
-Ltd..jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Thermore (Far East) Ltd.")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TSllC Ltd)")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF)")
