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K.V. Kurmanath

Erratic monsoon adds to their woes in Warangal

Rajavaram (Warangal) , Oct. 2

The erratic monsoon and dwindling groundwater levels have hit the cotton farmers very hard in this remote village of Warangal district, one of the important cotton growing districts in Andhra Pradesh.

The kharif season had begun with a delayed monsoon. Notwithstanding a hostile season ahead, the farmers in the village went in for cotton for two reasons. There was no other crop that could give them some assured returns. The second reason was, the cost of Bt cotton price fell by nearly Rs 1,300, Mr Kishan Reddy, a farmer, told Business Line.

The reduction in the price had two major impacts. There was a significant increase in cotton acreage and near-disappearance of non-Bt area.

"About 98 per cent of the 800 acre cotton area is under Bt," Mr Kishan said.

But as a result of the erratic monsoon that left dry spell of 45 days during August-September, almost all of the cotton farmers were set to lose the crop this season. "We might get back the labour costs. That's all," he said.

Both the Bt seed companies and the Government strongly advised the farmers in the rain-fed areas not to go for Bt cotton. Yet, the farmers, like their peers in some other areas, went for Bt in over 800 acres.

Asked why, Mr Ramulu, another farmer from the village, said they had no alternative. "It could withstand dry spells up to 15 days. Maize could not withstand such hostile conditions for not more than seven days," he said. "We used to get 5-6 quintals and end up with Rs 10,000. No other crop would give us this. For the last 10 years, we are falling back on cotton," he said.

New ayacut

The farmers, however, didn't lose heart. "We are going to get irrigation facilities in the next three years once the J Chokka Rao-Devadula Lift Irrigation project is completed," Mr Kishan said.

Though it would submerge some area, they hoped that the project would significantly improve groundwater levels.

More Stories on : Cotton | Climate & Weather | Andhra Pradesh

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