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Resource centre on India's rural distress
 
 

Hybrid seed industry growth may drop due to scanty rains-Tapash Talukdar

-The Economic Times

MUMBAI: Scanty rains in cotton-growing regions of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have washed away hopes of hybrid seeds growth in the country. The National Seed Association of India (NSAI) is expecting only a single digit growth between 5-7% against its previous estimate of 20% early this year. 

India's hybrid seed industry, which is pegged at Rs 11,000 crore, grew nearly 15% last year. And cotton seed contributes up to 30% to the total industry. Cotton farmers have decided to grow sesame, sorghum and other crops that require relatively less water. 

"The growth of hybrid seed industry may not match up with the last year's growth. In fact, the growth could come down by half in such a difficult condition," says Raju Kapoor, executive director, NSAI. The cotton seed usage has been witnessing a decline this season, signaling a significant fall ahead. 

As per the government data, Gujarat's 8 districts, out of 18 districts, are still experiencing scanty rainfall and the rest got deficit rainfall. Saurashtra and Kutch regions, which produce more than 35% of cotton, are the worst drought-hit places. 

Farmers are advised to sow cluster bean, sesame and castor as soon as rainfall revives. However, the farmers who have already sown cotton are being advised to carry out harrowing and earthing up. 

States like Haryana and Karnataka, which are still awaiting rains for its standing crop, are directed for furrow irrigation followed by straw mulching. 

Despite widespread rainfall for a few days, Maharashtra's rain deficit is still 26%. 

"Farmers are expecting low output for cotton this year as deficient rainfall is all set to hamper their standing crops. Some of them have shifted their interest to other crops," says NP Hirani, chairman of Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers Marketing Federation, the largest supplier of cotton, supporting 2.5 million cotton farmers.