Dry Spell Hits Cotton Crops in India's Punjab

The cotton crop in Abohar in Indias Punjab is suffering from a lack of rainfall and a poor irrigation system. Rainfall has been below average in the region, yielding fewer crops.

[Balwinder Singh, Farmer]:
"This year the canals were dry and even the rains played truant. Out of 5,000 acres of land that belongs to the village and is under cotton crop, only 1,200 to 1,300 acres were sown. And from that, we only expect half of it to be successful."

The farmers have repeatedly asked the government for help, especially with the irrigation system.

[Manish Bishnoi, Farmer]:
"We have spent 12 to 13 thousand rupees to plant cotton. What should we do now? We should be given compensation and the government should do something for us. There is no water. We have done everything possible. We went to the concerned departments and staged sit-in protests. But the government has not done anything yet."

The agriculture department agrees that the situation is grim and is asking farmers to take proper care of whatever is left of the crop.

[Sukhdev Singh, Agriculture Officer]:
"The cotton plants have not grown properly and not increased in size due to lack of rain. The plants are just two to two and a half feet tall (where they should be at least 5 feet tall). This year, I think there would be at least a 15 to 20 percent loss of crop."

Cotton is primarily grown in dry tropical and subtropical climates. However, excessive exposure to dryness or moisture at certain stages of the plant development lasting 5 to 7 months may be detrimental.

Cotton is one of the important non-food agricultural cash crops in the region.

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