KADAPA: There has been a significant rise in the cultivation of cotton in the district with more farmers opting for cotton due to lack of the right remunerative price for paddy.
Farmers have turned to cotton cultivation in view of the market price of cotton that has increased last year. One acre of cotton crop can fetch a farmer upto `30,000 to `40,000 per acre.
The agriculture department has estimated that cotton would be cultivated along 11,165 hectares during this Kharif season. However, going beyond their expectations, farmers have taken up cotton cultivation along 26,152 hectares.
According to sources, the price of cotton, which was `6,200 per quintal six months ago, is now `3,800 to `4,000 per quintal. Sources say that the cotton prices may shoot up in the coming days.
A farmer needs to invest `20,000 including for seed, pest management and field work. Since the yield per acre is between 8 to 12 quintals, a farmer can earn `20,000 per acre.
Source: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/farmers-opt-for-cotton-cultivation-than-paddy/186473-60-114.html
