Karimnagar: Cotton farmers in the district are anxiously awaiting rainfall, having prepared their fields and, in some cases, sown seeds early based on the India Meteorological Department’s forecast of an early monsoon.
Encouraged by consistent pre-season showers and last year’s high yields from early sowing, several farmers began cotton cultivation well in advance. Adding to their optimism was the Centre’s announcement of a Rs 489 increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for cotton this season, prompting more farmers to opt for the crop.
However, the recent dry spell has dampened their hopes. With no rainfall in the past week, early-sown cotton seeds face the risk of withering if rains do not arrive in the coming days. Many farmers are now pinning their hopes on the showers forecast over the next four days.
Agriculture Department officials, meanwhile, have cautioned farmers against sowing during the ongoing dry conditions. They have advised delaying cultivation until substantial rainfall is recorded.
So far, cotton has been cultivated in around 28,000 acres out of the 48,000 acres targeted for this Vanakalam, according to the Agriculture Department. Paddy remains the dominant crop and is expected to be cultivated across 2.76 lakh acres, out of a total estimated 3.43 lakh acres under all crops for the season.
