Cotton growers in Chamarajanagar and Mysuru districts are all smiles again as they have got bumper prices for their crop this year.
The price of cotton has doubled when compared to previous years. Last year, they sold it for Rs 60 per kg and now prices range between Rs 110 and 130, said Nagarajappa, cotton grower in Gundlupet taluk of Chamarajanagar district.
Farmers of the two districts have been cultivating Cotton in around 28,123 hectares. It is cultivated in Gundlupet taluk, a few pockets of Chamarajanagar and Hanur taluks in Chamarajanagar district, HD Kote, Hunsur, Saragur and Nanjangud taluk in Mysuru district.
Currently, the state government announced the minimum support price of Rs 5500 per quintal. The 140-180 day hybrid BT Cotton crop varieties like Bahubali, Puli and Minerva, which were sown in rain-fed areas during pre-monsoon showers are reaping bumper prices after the harvest in September.
As most textile industries are situated in Tirupur and Erode in Tamil Nadu where raw cotton is processed and the yarn exported to Bangladesh, local traders sell raw cotton to them after buying from regional farmers.
“Most of them have bid goodbye to traditional cotton varieties and opted for hybrid BT cotton as it is disease-resistant and yields sooner. Local farmers will get more price if the government establishes a market for them locally, which will also avoid the role of middlemen,” farmer leader Kurubur Shanthakumar.
Speaking to TOI, joint director of agriculture Dr Mahantheshappa said many farmers were cultivating cotton in old Mysuru region till recently in about 60,000 hectares. But now it is down to about 30,000 hectares due to labour problems and unseasonal rain. The textile industry is bouncing back and the low yield due to weak monsoon are some of the reasons attributed for the bumper prices for cotton this year, he said.
