BATHINDA: Much to the joy of cotton farmers, Punjab recorded an average all-time high rate of ₹8,200 per quintal, a jump of 26% from the previous season kharif season. This despite the state witnessing a drastic dip of 47% in cotton production as compared to the last season. The 2021-22 cotton season has almost come to an end in Punjab.
According to the Punjab mandi board data based on the mandi fees collected from different purchase centres across seven districts of the cotton-growing belt, in the 2020-21 kharif season, Punjab farmers sold natural fibre worth ₹2,714 crore till March 28 last year. Cotton is sown in seven districts of the semi-arid region of south Malwa in Punjab.
In 2021-22, farmers managed to earn ₹1,804 crore from the “white gold” when the first major pink bollworm attack in Punjab hit the yield and quality of cotton. During the season, 3.25 lakh hectares was under cotton, an increase of 74,000 hectares from 2.25 lakh hectares in 2020.
The minimum support price (MSP) of cotton was fixed at ₹5,925 per quintal in 2021-22 and the average price of the crop in the season was 28% higher than the MSP.
Mandi board cotton state coordinator Rajnish Goel said that in the 2021-22 kharif season, the average rate of cotton was ₹8,200 per quintal, higher by 26% than the previous season when the raw cotton was sold for an average price of ₹6,500 per quintal.
{{/usCountry}}Mandi board cotton state coordinator Rajnish Goel said that in the 2021-22 kharif season, the average rate of cotton was ₹8,200 per quintal, higher by 26% than the previous season when the raw cotton was sold for an average price of ₹6,500 per quintal.
{{/usCountry}}He said farmers saw a devastating crop season but the cotton growers got financial assistance to an extent to the exceptional rates and compensation by the Punjab government. “Due to high demand in the market, rates of raw cotton were exceptionally high. Last week, a quintal of cotton was bought by private parties at the highest-ever rate of ₹12,375 per quintal. Major purchase of cotton is over and we expect small-scale arrivals of 50,000 quintals by the end of May,” said Goel.
Official database says Bathinda was the worst-hit district that saw a drop of 61% in yield this season as compared to 2020-21. The largest producer of cotton in 2020-21, Bathinda slipped to the second position after 5 lakh quintal was purchased by the end of last fiscal. Fazilka topped the chart with 8.54 lakh quintals that was otherwise lower by 29% cotton produced in 2020-21.
Another major cotton-producing district of Mansa saw a decline of 50% at 4.69 lakh quintals and Muktsar witnessed a drop of 46.6% at 3.29 lakh quintals than the cotton produced in 2020-21.