Acreage under cotton crop in the summer or kharif season is expected to be stable to little higher, despite a drop in cotton prices towards the end of the season, as farmers said the climatic factor in Nimar region best suits cotton cultivation over other summer crops.
Cotton is a summer sown crop for which sowing in irrigated areas under Indore division starts from mid-May, while in non-irrigated regions it commences in June.
A cotton farmer from Khargone Arvind Patel said, "We have completed sowing of early varieties of cotton in our farms. Almost 50 per cent of early sowing is completed in our village and nearby areas. We have kept the area the same as last year because there are not many options available and cotton is best for thisregion."
A sudden spike in temperature in May had raised worry about the growth of the early sown variety crop, prompting farmers to spray additional water to save the crop, said farmers.
In Indore division, Khargone, Khandwa, Barwani, Manawar, Dhar and other districts are leading cotton growing belts,
Kailash Agrawal, a cotton farmer and ginner from Khargone said, "This temperature and climate is good for the cotton crop. The area under early sown variety is almost completed and the next phase of sowing will start with monsoon rain.
The average sowing area under cotton in Indore division remains over 5 lakh hectare and is expected to remain almost at the same level in this kharif season, according to farmers, traders and experts.
Soyabean, cotton, maize and pulses are the main kharif crops of Indore division.