The Cotton Advisory Board which met on 11.01.2008 estimated the cotton crop volume at 310 lakh bales for the year 2007-08 against the cotton crop of 280 lakh bales for 2006-07 season.
The All India yield per hectare is estimated at 553 kgs per hectare for 2007-08 compared to 520 kgs per hectare for 2006-07.
The state wise analysis shows an increase in yield per hectare in most of the states which have established greater adaptability of technology by the cotton farmers.
However there are abundant scope for further improvement in yield per hectare, so that cotton farmer will be able to sustain the increased yields.
Mr.J.N.Singh, Textile Commissioner, mentioned that there are no plans to ban exports as per press reports. The increases in cotton prices are expected to slow the growth of cotton Mill use compared to 2006-07.
All India arrivals are reported to be around 175 lakh bales so far, compared to the 148 lakh bales during same period last season.
The third lecture of Shri G.K.Sundaram Endowment lecture series was delivered on 10.01.2008 by Prof. M.S.Swaminathan, Chairman, M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation and National Commission on Farmers in Coimbatore, on the topic, Indian Agriculture.
He spoke on the Economic, Ecological, Technological, and Managerial Empowerment of Farmers. This meeting was attended by elite citizens of Coimbatore, Scientists, Professors, Cotton Trade and Industry representatives.
Growth of Agriculture has come down from 3.69% during 1990-96 to 1.65% during 1996-2000.57% of total employment is from Agriculture and 73% are women farmers.84% of farmer house holds are under debt.33 districts in the country are affected by agrarian distress like Vidharbadt of Maharashtra.
SICA offered to organise a visit to benefit the distress affected farmers in Vidarba. The goal should be to improve the economic viability of farming by increasing the net income of farmers and to provide opportunities for non farm employment for the farm households and introduce measures to retain youth in farming.
He also spoke on a 9 point charter for Mahila Kisans, efficient water management like interrow water harvesting, drip irrigation, increasing Know how/do-how gap, overcoming extension fatigue, information technology and knowledge revolution, pricing policy, conversion of calamities into opportunities, equitable use of bio- resources and Agriculture bio-security , credit and insurance, green revolution and evergreen revolution- pathways, spectacular progress in molecular genetics etc Dr.B.K.Krishnaraj vanavarayar, Chairman, Bharatiya Vidhya Bavan, Coimbatore Kendra gave the introductory speech.
He also emphasized the urgent need to take all appropriate action to rejuvenate Agriculture sector as “Everything can wait except agriculture”.
