Nagpur: Farmers in Vidarbha's cotton belt may not be able to pluck the first lot of their produce before the festive season, leaving many cash-strapped around Diwali.
According to sources, adverse weather conditions have added to the woes of cotton growers, who are already reeling under a price crash following the scrapping of import duty amid a tariff row with the US.
Cotton is the major crop in western Vidarbha, which falls under the Amravati revenue division. Over 30 lakh hectares in the division are under cotton, which was also hit by heavy rains this year.
Officials in the state agriculture department said the flush is expected only by mid-October or later, meaning the crop will be ready for harvest towards the end of the month. Damp weather has affected boll formation, delaying the harvest beyond Diwali in several pockets.
"The first flush of cotton bolls, normally expected between Dussehra and Diwali, is likely to come only after the festive season. This means many farmers may not be able to generate cash for celebrations by selling their produce during the festival," said officials monitoring the situation.
A senior officer at the Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR) confirmed the situation. Normally, cotton requires mild temperatures and dry weather for timely boll formation.However, since cotton is a perennial crop, farmers may be able to recover losses at a later stage.
"There are chances of boll formation if dry weather sets in soon. However, forecasts suggest more showers," said a source. Meanwhile, in Yavatmal, farmer Manohar Jhadav shared pictures of his field showing dried cotton plants with scanty bolls.
"Heavy rains have hampered boll formation, resulting in vegetative growth. The plants have only grown taller with little crop on them," said veteran Shetkari Sangathana activist Vijay Jawandhia.
